Take Two | 89.3 KPCC https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/ Join Take Two each weekday at 9 AM where we’ll translate the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that people are talking about. Find us on 89.3 KPCC, hosted by A Martinez. Upland's Plane Problem: Why Small Aircrafts Are Accident-Prone https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/12/29/65200/upland-plane-crash/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/12/29/65200/upland-plane-crash/ Ari Saperstein | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/a1aeffb71fa146224817bfb178f9f828/160248-small.jpg" width="4032" height="2688" alt="Airplanes in Los Angeles" /> <p><i>Airplanes in Los Angeles; Credit: DANIEL SLIM/AFP/Getty Images</i></p> <p><address>Ari Saperstein | Take Two</address></p><p>They say you’re more likely to be hit by lightning than be in a plane crash — but like every rule, there's an exception. We sent KPCC’s Ari Saperstein to the sleepy town of Upland, just outside of LA, to hear about a unique problem they face.</p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/12/29/65200/upland-plane-crash/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Sun, 29 Dec 2019 15:50:00 -0800 Neighborhood Unity One Chord At Time: Welcome To The Hermon Park Community Band https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/11/20/65113/neighborhood-unity-one-chord-at-time-welcome-to-th/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/11/20/65113/neighborhood-unity-one-chord-at-time-welcome-to-th/ Ari Saperstein | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/0d763f0b54ce27bd64c6ab8e903e76db/222493-small.jpg" width="3024" height="2145" alt=" The Hermon Park Community Band (L to R: Monk Turner, Julian Cullers, Jiro Matsuki, Kristi Rodehorst & Logan Hone)" /> <p><i> The Hermon Park Community Band (L to R: Monk Turner, Julian Cullers, Jiro Matsuki, Kristi Rodehorst &amp; Logan Hone); Credit: Ari Saperstein</i></p> <p><address>Ari Saperstein | Take Two</address></p><p>Every night in LA, there are countless concerts and open mics, where performers try to get even a few minutes of time in the limelight. For local musicians, it can be hard to find their place in such a crowded field. But one group in Northeast L.A. has made a space where people of all levels and experience can shine: the Hermon Park Community Band. KPCC's Ari Saperstein has their story.</p> <p><em>The Hermon Park Community Band is supported by a non-profit organization called <strong>Art In The Park</strong>. They're located at the Arroyo Secco Park in Hermon Park at 5568 Via Marisol Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90042. For information about upcoming events, workshops and programming, visit their website at </em><strong><a href="https://www.artintheparkla.org/"><em>www.artintheparkla.org</em></a></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/11/20/65113/neighborhood-unity-one-chord-at-time-welcome-to-th/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Wed, 20 Nov 2019 11:01:01 -0800 LA’s Indigenous Community Looks At It’s Past, Present and Future https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/10/25/65031/la-s-indigenous-community-looks-at-it-s-past-prese/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/10/25/65031/la-s-indigenous-community-looks-at-it-s-past-prese/ Ari Saperstein | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/5226f71da20f4a78b650d8f7de6114aa/222313-small.jpg" width="3019" height="2270" alt="" /> <p><i>LA's Second Annual indigenous Peoples' Day </i></p> <p><address>Ari Saperstein | Take Two</address></p><p>"The feeling is one of deep pride," says Chrissie Castro, vice-chairperson of the Los Angeles City and County Native American Indian Commission, about LA’s second annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration. "A lot of us get emotional at different times because we are not used to having these kinds of platforms or stages, to having all of Los Angeles come into this celebration in this kind of way. People are seeing us for the first time in a public way."</p> <p>Want to learn more? Check out our <a href="https://laist.com/2019/10/14/los_angeles_second_annual_indigenous_peoples_day.php">story about Indigenous Peoples' Day</a> at LAist.com</p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/10/25/65031/la-s-indigenous-community-looks-at-it-s-past-prese/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Fri, 25 Oct 2019 11:35:56 -0700 Kayaking In Hollywood: Dispatches From The LA River https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/08/22/64806/kayaking-in-hollywood-exploring-the-hidden-wonders/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/08/22/64806/kayaking-in-hollywood-exploring-the-hidden-wonders/ Ari Saperstein | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/5711e5ac33c94aa7984e557102ff91a3/221769-small.jpg" width="3522" height="2641" alt="" /> <p><i>The guides at LA River Kayak Safari posing together at their headquarters in Frogtown</i></p> <p><address>Ari Saperstein | Take Two</address></p><p>Picture this: Water flowing down a stream, wildlife frolicking and 50 feet away, rush hour traffic piling up on the five. This is the L.A. River— 51 miles of water that cuts through nearly all of Los Angeles County, starting in Canoga Park and heading down to Long Beach.</p> <p>Each summer, the city opens up two sections of the river to the public, at the Sepulveda Basin and in Elysian Valley. And one of the most popular recreational activities during this time? Kayaking.</p> <p>We sent KPCC's Ari Saperstein out on the water to learn more.</p> <p><em>Want to learn more? Check out <a href="https://laist.com/2019/08/22/paddling_from_atwater_village_to_silver_lake_or_how_to_kayak_the_la_river.php">our guide to kayaking the LA River</a> at LAist.com</em></p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/08/22/64806/kayaking-in-hollywood-exploring-the-hidden-wonders/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Thu, 22 Aug 2019 09:44:12 -0700 We're exploring LA County's 88 cities. First stop: Cerritos https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/06/21/62270/we-re-exploring-la-county-s-88-cities-first-stop-t/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/06/21/62270/we-re-exploring-la-county-s-88-cities-first-stop-t/ A Martínez and Leo Duran | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/db5f07d8860bc515ddc7dfa3dc73291c/210805-small.jpg" width="8333" height="5417" alt="88 Cities Cerritos" /> <p><i></i></p> <p><address>A Martínez and Leo Duran | Take Two</address></p><p><em>Los Angeles County has 88 cities, and KPCC/LAist plans to explore them all. We're <a href="https://www.scpr.org/network/questions/88cities/">recruiting listeners and readers</a> to take us to the neighborhoods they live in and love. From Long Beach to Lancaster, <a href="http://laist.com/tags/88cities">follow our journey here</a> and <a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/">on the radio with Take Two</a>.</em></p> <p>Today, we head to Cerritos.</p> <p>The city is probably most well-known for the Cerritos Auto Square dealership.</p> <p>But before cars showed up, cows ruled the city. Cerritos was called Dairy Valley before 1967 because of the hundreds of dairies that dotted the landscape.</p> <p>The population of humans boomed in the 1970s, making it the fastest growing city in California at the time. It was mostly driven by an influx of immigrants from China, Korea, and the Philippines.</p> <p>Now, it has the third largest Asian community in L.A. County. Out of the 50,000 people who live there today, more than 6 in 10 identify as Asian.</p> <p>It's that cultural mix (and an amazing library with a T-rex replica!) that drew us to this city. Oh, and it was also once home to First Lady Pat Nixon.</p> <p>To read the full guide, visit <a href="http://laist.com/2018/06/21/88_cities_cerritos.php">LAist.com</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/06/21/62270/we-re-exploring-la-county-s-88-cities-first-stop-t/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Thu, 21 Jun 2018 10:17:03 -0700 2018 Election: Let a judge help you judge the LA Superior Court candidates https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/31/63121/2018-election-let-a-judge-help-you-judge-the-la-su/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/31/63121/2018-election-let-a-judge-help-you-judge-the-la-su/ Leo Duran | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/c8146eca4b3007d2b22214ff418b504c/67683-small.jpg" width="423" height="283" alt="" /> <p><i>Twenty-eight candidates for seats on the Los Angeles Superior Court will be on the ballot in this Tuesday's primary election.; Credit: Stock Photo: SalFalko/Flickr Creative Commons</i></p> <p><address>Leo Duran | Take Two</address></p><p>There are 28 names on the ballot for Los Angeles Superior Court, and it isn't so easy to find information on all the candidates.</p> <p>But the court is the largest of its kind in the country, and those elected judges will handle trials from small claims to felony murder, and family law to civil cases.</p> <p>To help you figure out who you'd like on the bench, Take Two asks a judge what makes a good judge.</p> <p>Stuart Rice serves on L.A.'s Superior Court, and is president of the California Judges Association.</p> <h3>See what the L.A. County Bar Association thinks</h3> <p>The organization evaluates all the candidates based on interviews, references and insider-information within the law community.</p> <p>"They view it as a public service obligation," says Judge Rice. "Everybody is ranked."</p> <p><a href="https://www.lacba.org/docs/default-source/jeec-reports/2018-jeec-report/jeec-report-2018.pdf">You can see the rankings yourself here</a>.</p> <h3>A candidate's title can give you a hint</h3> <p>After every name is a short description of the candidate's current job.</p> <p>For example, someone who's a Superior Court commissioner technically do the job of the judges, already.</p> <p>District attorneys also have regular courtroom experience, and they're more likely to be ready to handle the job on day one.</p> <p>That does not mean other candidates are incapable, but it may take them more time to get up to speed.</p> <p>"If they have the right personality and willingness to work and learn, they may turn out to be a fantastic judge," says Judge Rice.</p> <h3>Look at endorsements</h3> <p>These are non-partisan positions, so no parties are next to a name on the ballot.</p> <p>But if political leanings matter to you, then see if a local political party endorsed a candidate.</p> <p>Judge Rice also says if sitting judges support someone, then they could be a great judge.</p> <p>Otherwise, look for people endorsed by organizations you trust.</p> <h3>Check out a candidate's website</h3> <p>There's more you can glean from a candidate's site than just their platform.</p> <p>If that website is rife with grammatical errors or if a candidate doesn't even have one, for example, then that person might not be mounting a serious run.</p> <p><em>Ready for Tuesday's primary election? We're here to help. Go to KPCC's <a href="http://www.kpcc.org/votergameplan">Voter Game Plan page</a> for information on candidates, ballot measures and an election guide personalized for you. </em></p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/31/63121/2018-election-let-a-judge-help-you-judge-the-la-su/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Thu, 31 May 2018 15:10:59 -0700 5 Leonard Bernstein videos you need to watch before you go to the Skirball Center https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/21/62912/5-leonard-bernstein-videos-you-need-to-watch-befor/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/21/62912/5-leonard-bernstein-videos-you-need-to-watch-befor/ Marc Haefele | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/2ad2d3f1d3e47faf08b9ef81fae3becd/194047-small.jpg" width="4432" height="4096" alt="Leonard Bernstein" /> <p><i>American composer Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990) holds a press conference at the Royal Festival Hall in London on February 20, 1970. The Skirball Center is celebrating his centennial with an all encompassing exhibit of Bernsteiniana.; Credit: Central Press/Getty Images</i></p> <p><address>Marc Haefele | Take Two</address></p><p><a href="https://www.skirball.org/exhibitions/leonard-bernstein-100">The Skirball Center has just opened</a> "Leonard Bernstein at 100," celebrating the centennial of the man who, above all, helped the world understand and love music. <strong>All </strong>kinds of music. Listen to the audio player to hear Marc Haefele's review of the show, and watch these 5 videos before you check out the exhibit.</p> <p>1. Marc starts his review of the Skirball exhibit talking about this video. "I first saw Lennie Bernstein in 1954," he writes, "on a somber Sunday TV show called Omnibus. Though he was in his 30s and I was 12, I instantly identified with him. He was another kid like me who loved Classical Music. He brought the musical skies down to Earth with what you might call Bernsteinese:  Heavenly discourse with a Boston accent."</p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/KI1klmXUER8" title="Bernstein on Omnibus breaking down Beethoven's 5th">Bernstein on Omnibus breaking down Beethoven's 5th</a></p> <blockquote> <p>"I am amazed every time I look at this music all over again how simple and strong and right it is. … Every bar in this movement is based in one way or another directly on these four notes. Three G’s and an E-flat. What is it about these three Gs and an E-flat that are so pregnant and so meaningful that a whole symphonic movement can be born of them?"</p> <p>-- Leonard Bernstein on "Omnibus"</p> </blockquote> <p>2. As Duke Ellington - maybe Bernstein's chief rival for Musician of the Century - once said, "If it sounds good, it <em>is </em>good." Bernstein knew if he was to reach young people when he did the NY Phil's Young People Concerts (which he hosted from 1958 - 1972), he had to speak their language. So he played rock music for them. But it's obvious he dug the music himself.</p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/ygn7ORgPbEE" title="Bernstein Beatles and boogies">Bernstein Beatles and boogies</a></p> <p>3. A short excerpt from the Harvard lecture series Bernstein did called "The Unanswered Question." At the piano, he gives us the short history of music. Or as he puts it, "It's as if we could see the whole of music developing from prehistory to the present ... in two minutes." Okay, five minutes. </p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/Gt2zubHcER4" title="Bernstein and The Unanswered Question">Bernstein and The Unanswered Question</a></p> <p>4. You don't even have to <em>like </em>Mahler to want to see Bernstein conduct a Mahler symphony. Watch him dance and sing while he rehearses the orchestra. The music runs through his veins.</p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/UvBbe8Nkgz8?t=13m46s" title="Bernstein rehearses Mahler">Bernstein rehearses Mahler</a></p> <p>5. The Berlin Wall, separating East and West Germany, fell in 1989, and Bernstein celebrated with two concerts. The first on Christmas Eve, 1989, in West Berlin, and the second on Christmas Day, 1989, in East Germany. The music was Beethoven's 9th Symphony, with the choral Ode to <em>Joy </em>changed to the Ode to <em>Freedom</em>. And at the 1-hour 25-minute mark, you can see Bernstein overwhelmed with joy and wiping his eyes ... as were many of the 100-million people who watched the televised concert in more than twenty countries around the world.</p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/IInG5nY_wrU" title="Bernstein celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall">Bernstein celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall</a></p> <p>Bernstein was a lifelong smoker, and died from it less than ten months after the Berlin concerts.</p> <p>As Marc Haefele writes, "To me, Bernstein still seemed young when he died in 1990 at the age of 72. Almost 30 years later, 72 seems tragically young for a man who was probably the greatest all-around American musician of the past century. Oscar Wilde said, 'What is true about music is true of all the arts. Beauty has as many meanings as man has moods.' And Leonard Bernstein was a man of many beauties.</p> <p> </p> <p><em>“Leonard Bernstein at 100” is <a href="https://www.skirball.org/exhibitions/leonard-bernstein-100">at the Skirball Center</a> until September 2. <a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/the-frame/2018/05/03/62857/leonard-bernstein-at-100-offers-a-comprehensive-lo/">Listen here</a> for The Frame's conversation with the curator, Robert Santelli.</em></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/21/62912/5-leonard-bernstein-videos-you-need-to-watch-befor/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Mon, 21 May 2018 06:00:01 -0700 New CEO of California's bullet train project explains his plan to get back on track https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63046/new-ceo-of-california-s-high-speed-rail-authority/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63046/new-ceo-of-california-s-high-speed-rail-authority/ Caitlin Plummer | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/a0ea3b8689bc7cff809d8811095092f1/190409-small.jpg" width="4722" height="3296" alt="California High Speed Rail" /> <p><i>In this photo taken Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, is one of the elevated sections of the high-speed rail under construction in Fresno, Calif. ; Credit: Rich Pedroncelli/AP</i></p> <p><address>Caitlin Plummer | Take Two</address></p><p>The board that oversees the California bullet train approved a new business plan for the controversial project this week. The plan says the high-speed train to connect L.A. to San Francisco will be finished by 2033 for a total of $77 billion.</p> <p>It’s the biggest infrastructure project in state history, but when Californians were first asked to vote on it ten years ago, the price tag was $32 billion less and the timeline for when the train would be up and running was much earlier. Until March, the train was expected to be built and functioning by 2029.</p> <p>In February, the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board of Directors selected a new chief executive to oversee the project.</p> <p>Brian Kelly previously served as the first secretary of the California State Transportation Agency and brings nearly 25 years of transportation policy experience to the position.</p> <p>Kelly told us more about the direction he's taking the massive project.</p> <h2>What changes Kelly has made as CEO so far</h2> <blockquote> <p>We’re expanding the capacity of the organization to better deliver the project. I brought in a Chief Operating Officer. I brought in a new chief deputy to oversee some of our administrative functions like contract management and other things – and my Chief Operating Officer is focused on delivering our construction projects that are underway in the Central Valley and getting the environmental documents completed statewide. So we have a renewed management focus on really getting the project delivered.</p> </blockquote> <h2>The construction mistake Kelly won’t repeat</h2> <blockquote> <p>This is a unique project in many respects. One of the unique elements is that we got federal money for the project, which is always a good thing, and that came with very strict timelines to spend the money. All the money we received from the federal government needed to be spent by September of 2017 and, in that, I think they entered the construction contracts a little bit early. We didn’t have all of the right-of-way in hand – that is, the parcels that you have to purchase before you can get fully through construction. And I think the biggest lesson we have is we won’t repeat that.</p> <p>I think the next big construction contract that we let, those things will be covered on the front end. So that is a key lesson, because much of the cost driver now is assigning costs to risks that were unknown at the time they went into construction.</p> </blockquote> <h2>How he plans to secure the necessary funding</h2> <blockquote> <p>I’m going to do it like you do almost any other massive transportation or transit project: you do it in building blocks. And what we put in our business plan is recognizing the money we do have.</p> <p>We’re looking at whether we can open a Central Valley line early, expand what we call the “Electrification of the Caltrain Project” in the San Francisco Bay Area down to a city called Gilroy and get those two lines going, and then focus our unfunded needs on a tunnel in the middle. At the same time, we’d finish our environmental work statewide and then we’ll work with local, state and federal partners to find additional funding as we go.</p> <p>My objective and my goal here is to really get the organization delivering – seeing those construction projects in the Central Valley move forward. Get them done under the timelines in our federal grant agreement. And I think if we start to show that success, we’ll be able to expand going forward and we’ll find additional funding as we go.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Kelly’s response to claims the new plan is “not viable”</h2> <blockquote> <p>Well, I think that has to be put in context – what [the Legislative Analyst’s Office and the state-appointed peer review committee] pointed out is we don’t have all the money for the entirety of the Phase 1 program, and that has never been the case. The day the voters voted for Proposition 1A in 2008, they provided $9 billion for a project that was estimated at $45 billion – about one fifth of the funding.</p> <p>Today we have about one third of the funding that we need for the project. But they’re right that it’s difficult to build a project without having all of the funding in place.</p> </blockquote> <h2>The upcoming end of Governor Brown’s term and working with California’s next governor</h2> <blockquote> <p>I think people forget that the bullet train got to the ballot under the prior administration, the Schwarzenegger administration back in 2008. So Governor Brown didn’t start the project, but certainly he’s been our best advocate while he’s been the governor.</p> <p>In terms of the next governors, I feel pretty good about what I’ve heard from them. I’ve been doing transportation policy for about a quarter of a century now and I do think this is a very, very important project for the future of the state, and I’m happy to hear that most of at least the Democratic candidates are saying the same thing.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Kelly’s response to the possibility California’s next governor could end the project</h2> <blockquote> <p>Should that happen, I think it would be a sad state of affairs because I think you would stop the economic benefits we are seeing with construction now. You would deprive Californians of the mobility benefits of this project.</p> <p>I guess we’d go back to building only highways and trying to expand more and more car use, and I’m not sure that that’s going to help our congestion, our air quality or our mobility issues in California.</p> </blockquote> <h2>How he’s going to meet the 2033 deadline</h2> <blockquote> <p>The first thing is meet our commitments and perform. And then we look at which assets we can put into use as soon as possible and we move forward in a building block approach.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Why the high-speed rail should still be a priority for California</h2> <blockquote> <p>I’ve been doing transportation policy for some time in this state and I’ve never come across a single project than can reduce our travel times, given our choices for traveling today – by car, by current rail options – like this project can. We’re talking about cutting travel times by at least half and mostly more between destination points. That mobility benefit you just don’t get. And the simple truth is, while cars can’t do it, these trains can travel at 220 miles per hour – and that means we can connect cities and connect the state in a way that we never have before.</p> <p>And I’m in love with the economic benefits of this project. I’ve seen what it’s doing in Fresno and the Central Valley, where construction is underway. Two and a half billion in federal dollars invested has resulted in about $6 billion in economic output, and that’s a project that I have no problem supporting and wanting to see in place in California.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63046/new-ceo-of-california-s-high-speed-rail-authority/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Fri, 18 May 2018 11:52:34 -0700 Why the Koch brothers are supporting CA Dems https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63044/why-the-koch-brothers-are-supporting-ca-dems/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63044/why-the-koch-brothers-are-supporting-ca-dems/ Take Two staff | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/ee098ac1e677545224fa2cf082291356/89464-small.jpg" width="3000" height="2034" alt="Koch Brothers Health Law" /> <p><i> In this Aug. 30, 2013 file photo, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Chairman David Koch speaks in Orlando, Fla. The billionaire conservative Koch brothers benefited from the health care law they abhor by letting "Obamacare" subsidize health care for employees not yet old enough to retire. The program, shuttered last month, paid out more than $1 million to one of the interests held by the conservative campaign financiers.; Credit: Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP</i></p> <p><address>Take Two staff | Take Two</address></p><p>The billionaire Koch brothers usually bankroll Republicans, so why are they shelling out for two California Democrats in advance of the June 5th primary? </p> <p>Carla Marinucci, senior editor for Politico's California Playbook, explains the strategy of the Koch brothers' LIBRE Initiative -- its Hispanic outreach arm:</p> <blockquote> <p>The unusual thing about this, when you talk about the Koch Brothers, to many progressive Democrats those two words are synonymous with Satan. David and Charles Koch are sending out mailers helping two California Democrats -- House members Pete Aguilar, former mayor of Redlands, and Raul Ruiz, of Coachella. These are two Southern California pro-immigration Democrats, and they're probably as surprised as anyone to be given a boost by the Koch brothers network.</p> <p>The strategy seems to be pro immigration. LIBRE supports a permanent, bipartisan solution that would provide certainty for dreamers and strengthen our border. That is a code word for not a border wall necessarily but border security. It is an interesting strategy because the Koch brothers  have given lots of money to candidates that are hardliners on immigration.</p> </blockquote> <p>Raphe Sonnenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute at Cal State LA, explains the guiding principle of the Koch brothers mailers: </p> <blockquote> <p>I think the Democrats are chum. They threw out some chum to get the attention of the media, which I hate to say has worked: the Koch brothers support Democrats. These Democrats neither need nor want their support. The Republicans need and want their support, and the guiding star of the Koch brothers network is keeping majority control of the House and Senate in Republican hands. They're consistent and they play a long game.</p> <p>The idea is to convince Latino voters in some of these districts in Southern California with very large Latino populations that the surest way to get the dreamers protected is to keep these incumbents in office even though it would retain a majority in the House, and that majority would be unlikely to support the dreamers. These folks are really smart. This is a very subtle move by the Koch brothers, but the Democrats in this are a head fake.<br>  </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63044/why-the-koch-brothers-are-supporting-ca-dems/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Fri, 18 May 2018 11:45:42 -0700 You don't need a plane ticket to celebrate the royal wedding; there's plenty to do in LA https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63047/you-don-t-need-a-plane-ticket-to-celebrate-the-roy/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63047/you-don-t-need-a-plane-ticket-to-celebrate-the-roy/ Emily Henderson | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/b85174d7bd6040deae18ea6fc1e20852/207639-small.jpg" width="4206" height="2804" alt="Rehearsal For The Wedding Of Prince Harry And Ms. Meghan Markle Takes Place In Windsor" /> <p><i>A shop sells memorabilia ahead of the dress rehearsal for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 17, 2018 in Windsor, England.; Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images</i></p> <p><address>Emily Henderson | Take Two</address></p><p>As you may have heard, England's Prince Harry is marrying American actress Meghan Markle this Saturday. </p> <p>The festivities across the pond will of course be massive, but Southern Californians are also getting into the royal wedding excitement.</p> <h3>Watch Parties</h3> <img src="#"> <p>For British ex-pats living in L.A., this royal wedding carries special significance, said Craig Young, founder of Brits in L.A., a group that helps Britons moving to Los Angeles adjust to life here and find a sense of community.</p> <p>"When Harry first announced he was going to marry an American, Meghan Markle, we were very excited and very happy because most of us have made America our home and everyone seemed to be excited about the fact that America and Britain are going to be united in some way," Young said.</p> <p>Brits in L.A. often celebrates events related to the royal family, like the birth of Prince George, and the upcoming wedding will be no exception.</p> <p>"Brits in L.A. have partnered with the Cat and the Fiddle pub in Hollywood. We're going to do a royal slumber party because obviously it's in the middle of the night for us. We're suggesting that people wear fascinators, onesies or pajamas and we're going to give prizes to the best dressed," Young said.</p> <p><a href="https://soundcloud.com/taketwoshow/brits-in-la" title="https://soundcloud.com/taketwoshow/brits-in-la">https://soundcloud.com/taketwoshow/brits-in-la</a></p> <p>Tickets for the slumber party are sold out, but you can head over to the <a href="https://www.thecatandfiddle.com">Cat and the Fiddle</a> for an 'Afternoon Tea Party' Saturday afternoon from 2-5 p.m.</p> <p>And if you're set on a live viewing party, the <a href="http://www.whitehartepub.com/index.php">White Harte Public House</a> in Woodland Hills is hosting their own celebration from 3-6 a.m. on Saturday; <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-royal-wedding-viewing-celebration-tickets-46096420635">tickets are $25</a>.</p> <p>If you want to host your own royal wedding viewing party, plenty of networks will broadcast the event and for all the cord-cutters, websites will stream it too. <a href="https://www.scpr.org/news/2018/05/17/83230/how-to-watch-the-royal-wedding-in-the-way-that-s-r/">We've got a list here.</a></p> <h3>The Markle Connection</h3> <img src="#"> <p>Meghan Markle is about to become British royalty, but her roots are right here in Southern California.</p> <p>Her alma matter, Immaculate Heart High School, took some time this week to celebrate her with festivities on the school's grassy quad.</p> <p>Honoring Markle isn't just about celebrating her wedding, said Callie Webb, communications director for the school. It's about her other achievements up to this point.</p> <p>"Immaculate Heart has been proud of Meghan long before she met Prince Harry. She did an incredible job of speaking before the U.N. on behalf of women's rights and education for girls several years ago. So many of our students were aware of Meghan through that U.N. speech, as well as some of her humanitarian efforts," Web said.</p> <p>Markle is a good example of Immaculate Heart's core values, which is why students there look up to her, Webb said.</p> <p>"The school is really big on community service and Meghan, when she was here, she worked at a soup kitchen down on Skid Row... She represents what we teach all of our students, that we want them to become women of great heart and right conscience," Webb said.</p> <p><a href="https://soundcloud.com/taketwoshow/immaculate-heart" title="https://soundcloud.com/taketwoshow/immaculate-heart">https://soundcloud.com/taketwoshow/immaculate-heart</a></p> <p>The school's "Here's to Meghan" party included tea party-esque refreshments with cookies and lemonade and speeches recognizing what Markle has accomplished.</p> <h3>Tea and Treats</h3> <img src="#"> <p>If you're looking to salute Meghan and Harry's nuptials in proper British style, look no further than Pasadena. The <a href="http://rosetreecottage.com/RTC-Website-2011-V004/Welcome.html">Rose Tree Cottage</a> will be serving a special royal afternoon tea on Saturday.</p> <p>When Rose Tree's owner, Edmund Fry, moved to Los Angeles from London, he was disappointed by the tea selection so he decided to create his own.</p> <p>"I used to work for Fortnum and Mason. Their specialty was their tea, and when I came here I couldn't find a place with a really good cup of tea with a really good tea leaf, and that's how it all started," Fry said.</p> <p>This weekend's menu will include Rose Tree's special tea blend as well as a full spread of British specialties fit for a princess.</p> <p>"[There will be] an assortment of finger sandwiches from Scottish smoked salmon, to roast beef to obviously English cucumber. And roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. We follow that with our scones, we go through 500 or 600 a day, and then we follow that with desserts. People don't go away hungry when they come to Rose Tree for tea," Fry said.</p> <p><a href="https://soundcloud.com/taketwoshow/rose-tree-cottage" title="https://soundcloud.com/taketwoshow/rose-tree-cottage">https://soundcloud.com/taketwoshow/rose-tree-cottage</a></p> <p>And those aren't the only local treats being cooked up to honor the royal couple. Cupcakery, <a href="https://sprinkles.com/cupcakes/flavors/calendar-may/royal-wedding-cake-cupcake">Sprinkles</a>, will have a special Royal Wedding cupcake on their menu this weekend. It's a lemon blueberry cake with St. Germaine vanilla buttercream frosting topped with edible flowers.</p> <p><a href="http://www.vanleeuwenicecream.com">Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream</a>, which has several shops and food trucks across L.A., will also be mixing up a special flavor. It's got a sweet cream ice cream base, with swirls of elderflower buttercream frosting, and house-made lemon pound cake pieces.</p> <p>And if you're more of a savory treat fan, <a href="https://twitter.com/pinkshotdogs/status/996843061106769921">Pink's Hot Dogs</a> has you covered. They're serving up a Royal Wedding Dog with two hot dogs in one bun.</p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63047/you-don-t-need-a-plane-ticket-to-celebrate-the-roy/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Fri, 18 May 2018 11:28:06 -0700 There's a baby bust in California, and it's hurting the economy https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63045/there-s-a-baby-bust-in-ca-and-it-s-hurting-the-eco/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63045/there-s-a-baby-bust-in-ca-and-it-s-hurting-the-eco/ Take Two staff | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/b9263e89c60b33c2a5d4bdce5d940ac4/168065-small.jpg" width="5184" height="3456" alt="Baby with mom" /> <p><i>Right now, Tara Tyson has a sitter watching her 15-month-old son during the day. As he grows, she's wondering if group care would be better.; Credit: Priska Neely/KPCC</i></p> <p><address>Take Two staff | Take Two</address></p><p>Having a baby just isn't a priority for a lot of Southern Californians right now, and baby, that's a problem.</p> <p>The state has hit a <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article211330979.html">record low birth rate</a> that's even lower than during the Great Depression.</p> <p>While that means fewer diapers to change, it can also lead to adult-sized economic problems.</p> <p>"I think what's pretty clear is that with the cost of living," says Joel Kotkin, professor of Urban Studies at Chapman University, "people are looking at their situation and saying, 'I can't afford to have a kid!'"</p> <p>Kotkin gave Take Two an explanation of how a low birth rate has pros and, mostly, cons.</p> <h3>Con: 30-year-olds are more likely to leave</h3> <p>On the one hand, SoCal has no problem attracting young 20-somethings drawn by the scenic beaches, great food and warm weather.</p> <p>The economy suffers, however, when 30-year-olds start thinking about buying a home and having families.</p> <p>"Employers are finding it very hard to hold on to people in their 30s," says Kotkin. </p> <p>If the state can't hold onto those people as they head into their prime earning years, it loses out on their productivity, spending and tax contributions.</p> <h3>Con: any "boom" you see right now only benefits the rich</h3> <p>California's economy recently grew to become <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-california-economy-gdp-20180504-story.html">the world's fifth-largest economy</a> if it were its own country.</p> <p>Sounds like great news, but that wealth mostly benefits the very rich in the tech sector.</p> <p>"Almost all the income growth and high-end job growth took place in Silicon Valley," he says.</p> <h3>Con: communities are less likely to support each other</h3> <p>With fewer children in a city, a community's commitment to education for everyone wanes. </p> <p>There's less of an investment in parks, too, and fewer neighbors meeting each other through their kids.</p> <p>"It's really a self-absorbed society," says Kotkin, who's written more in the article, <a href="https://www.city-journal.org/html/childless-city-13577.html">"The Childless City."</a></p> <h3>Pro: kids aren't great for the environment, or avant garde communities</h3> <p>"Each one of those little kids are [greenhouse gas] emitters," says Kotkin, echoing a sentiment by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/12/want-to-fight-climate-change-have-fewer-children">some environmentalists</a>. "Plus, there's a certain advantage to not accommodating children."</p> <p>People won't be annoyed by crying children in restaurants, for example. And taking part in NSFW festivities gets easier. "You can be a little edgier."</p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/18/63045/there-s-a-baby-bust-in-ca-and-it-s-hurting-the-eco/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Fri, 18 May 2018 10:38:36 -0700 Republicans revolt? White House meeting could do party more harm than good, analyst says https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63032/republicans-revolt-white-house-meeting-could-do-pa/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63032/republicans-revolt-white-house-meeting-could-do-pa/ Take Two staff | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/e675eccd6f5e2da4fdae7ce5f57e1c11/201680-small.jpg" width="4566" height="3052" alt="Trump Designates North Korea as State Sponsor of Terror During Cabinet Meeting" /> <p><i>WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 20: (AFP OUT) U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media during a cabinet meeting at the White House on November 20, 2017 in Washington, D.C. President Trump officially designated North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch-Pool/Getty Images); Credit: Pool/Getty Images</i></p> <p><address>Take Two staff | Take Two</address></p><p>More than a dozen California conservatives met with President Trump Wednesday to discuss the state's sanctuary laws. </p> <p>A lot was said about the state of immigration at the televised meeting, but in a state where Republicans make up less than 25 percent of registered voters, could such a high-profile meeting do more political harm than good?</p> <p>Political consultant Mike Madrid says it depends on who you're talking about: for lawmakers in predominantly red areas, the fear of voter backlash is relatively low. When it comes to the Republican brand, however, Madrid says trouble could be ahead.</p> <blockquote> <p>No question. The whole Trump presidency already has had a very damaging effect, certainly in California, to the Republican brand.</p> <p>Republican registration has now dropped to under 24 percent. It's slipping every month. We just got some reports back from the Secretary of State's office showing that only three percent of all the new registrants since Donald Trump is Latino Republicans. Yes, it's a partisan death-spiral, and the challenge is, as the party becomes smaller and more monolithic and more homogenous, it becomes more intense in these very marginal policy issues.</p> <p>Certainly, the tone that the President was presenting and the words that he used further alienate this fast-growing segment of the electorate, and no question this is going to be very problematic for the party in the short, medium, and long-term. </p> </blockquote> <p><em>(Answer has been edited for clarity and brevity.)</em></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63032/republicans-revolt-white-house-meeting-could-do-pa/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Thu, 17 May 2018 12:19:04 -0700 From racist films to unethical land grabs, these 3 people shaped LA's future https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63033/the-trickery-and-ingenuity-behind-the-invention-of/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63033/the-trickery-and-ingenuity-behind-the-invention-of/ Emily Henderson | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/a7d13c743ca320eaf6ba415016c8f741/207849-small.jpg" width="800" height="639" alt="" /> <p><i>William Mulholland, who brought water to Los Angeles from Owens Valley, standing in an open automobile in front of American flags.; Credit: Historical Photo Collection of the Department of Water and Power, City of Los Angeles</i></p> <p><address>Emily Henderson | Take Two</address></p><p>Los Angeles is now home to millions of people, but building a city of this size in Southern California was something that took a lot of ingenuity — and even a little trickery.</p> <p>The local landscape is paradise for a lot of modern Angelenos, but back in 1900, when Los Angeles was just starting to be developed, that was not the case. The area lacked natural resources and was cut off from trading routes, which made it a pretty unlikely place for a major metropolis. </p> <img src="#"> <p>"To overcome those problems took some creative thinking and I contend a certain amount of dishonesty," said Gary Krist, author of the new book, "Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination and the Invention of Los Angeles." </p> <p>A lot of that creative thinking sprung from three figures in the city's early history: William Mulholland, D.W. Griffith and Aimee Semple McPherson, who helped shape L.A. into the place it is today.</p> <h3>William Mulholland: The Engineer</h3> <img src="#"> <p>In 1900, the city's population had grown to about 100,000 people and the National Irrigation Council said that with the lack of water that was as big as L.A. could get, but if Mother Nature wasn't giving Los Angeles more water, William Mulholland would. </p> <p>An immigrant and self-taught engineer, Mulholland started out digging ditches for L.A.'s private water company and worked his way up the ranks. He was a determined man who met his goals by any means necessary, Krist said, so when he found available water in the Owens Valley, nothing would stop him from bringing it to L.A. </p> <p>Re-engineering the SoCal landscape to build the Los Angeles aqueduct was only half the battle, Krist said. Mulholland and his team then had to get the rights to bring the water to L.A. from up north.</p> <p>"There was a lot of behind-the-scenes maneuvering. They got a lot of the water rights under questionable conditions. There were people who were pretending to be U.S. government engineers who were really buying rights — not for the U.S. government but for Los Angeles," Krist said.</p> <h3>D.W. Griffith: The Entertainer</h3> <img src="#"> <p>With the problem of water resources settled for the time being, Los Angeles then needed an industry to bring jobs to the area. Since the region lacked resources like coal or lumber, that industry had to be created from nothing, Krist said.</p> <p>We all know how the story ends. L.A. became the home of the movie business. The trick was turning films from sideshow novelties to serious moneymakers, Krist said, and the trickster who pulled that off was D.W. Griffith.</p> <p>Griffith started out his life as an actor, and was very opposed to making movies at first.</p> <p>"He was more or less dragged kicking and screaming into the movie industry. He said, 'This is below me; I am a thespian.' But eventually he became destitute enough that he had to try it," Krist said.</p> <p>Once he got started, however, Griffith was a fast success. He made Hollywood's first real blockbuster, "The Birth of a Nation." The film was looked down on even in its day for its racist storyline, but the impact of its commercial success cannot be ignored, Krist said.</p> <p>"It basically made capitalists and banks aware that this movie industry really can be a moneymaker, and so they started investing and it became a viable industry to help the city grow," Krist said.</p> <h3>Aimee Semple McPherson: The Evangelist</h3> <img src="#"> <p>Aimee Semple McPherson may not be a household name now, but she was actually more well-known in her day than Mulholland or Griffith, Krist said.</p> <p>An early convert to Pentecostalism, McPherson was a traveling preacher before settling in Los Angeles and building the Angeles Temple in Echo Park, where she drew massive crowds to her sermons.</p> <p>"She became this tourist attraction. People came from all over the country, all over the world to see Aimee Semple McPherson preach," Krist said.</p> <p>McPherson was more charismatic than many of her contemporaries, Krist said, and she embraced a level of theatricality in her sermons that made her style comparable with her Hollywood neighbors.</p> <p>"She would get people in costumes, and she was very funny and entertaining... and Charlie Chaplin once came to one of her illustrated sermon sessions and afterwards he said, 'You may not think this, but you're an actress just like the rest of us. You create this fantasy world for your audience and eat it up just the way people eat up our movies,'"Krist said.</p> <h3>Unfortunate ends</h3> <img src="#"> <p>As L.A.'s status catapulted upward, the three people who helped the city take off met less fortunate fates.</p> <p>Mulholland found out the hard way that single-mindedness can have drawbacks. In 1928, the St. Francis dam burst, and the resulting flood lead to the death of hundreds. The blame for the disaster fell largely on Mulholland, the man behind the project. He had chosen the location for the dam, which was seen as a main cause for the structure's failure, and after the flood his professional life was essentially over, Krist said.</p> <p>Griffith struggled to sustain his early success as cultural tastes changed. Then with the advent of sound pictures, in the 1920s, he became completely unable to keep up with the times. </p> <p>McPherson's fall from grace was the most intriguing. In 1926, McPherson went missing for weeks. When she was found, she claimed she had been kidnapped and escaped her captors, but inconsistencies in her story led to suspicions that it might not be entirely true, Krist said. She was tried for perjury and fraud, as a result, and although the charges were dropped, the stain on her reputation had a lasting impact.</p> <p>Mulholland, Griffith and McPherson may not have had lasting success within their lives, but as "Mirage Factory" details, the success of Los Angeles provides a legacy for all of them.</p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63033/the-trickery-and-ingenuity-behind-the-invention-of/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Thu, 17 May 2018 12:09:03 -0700 CSU Chancellor Timothy White on Cal State’s big push for funding ahead of the state budget deadline https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63031/csu-chancellor-timothy-white-on-cal-state-s-big-pu/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63031/csu-chancellor-timothy-white-on-cal-state-s-big-pu/ Take Two staff | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/2dde121196f52914b71854109595144f/48373-small.jpg" width="1024" height="774" alt="Then-Chancellor of UC Riverside Timothy White attends a campus rally in 2011. " /> <p><i>Then UC Riverside Chancellor Timothy White attends a campus Occupy rally in 2011. He is now Chancellor of the California State Univeristy system.; Credit: Steven Cuevas/KPCC</i></p> <p><address>Take Two staff | Take Two</address></p><p>Cal State officials are asking for more money during the final weeks of budget negotiations in Sacramento, before the state’s June 15 deadline.</p> <p>CSU is asking Governor Brown for a $263 million increase – not just for this year’s budget, but for every year going forward.</p> <p>Right now, the budget has Cal State receiving a fraction of that amount: $92 million. Governor Brown also proposed an additional one-time installment of $100 million specifically for servicing its facilities. Cal State has an estimated $2 million of maintenance work to catch up on.</p> <p>A Martinez sat down with California State University Chancellor Timothy White to talk about why Cal State isn’t settling for less than its $263 million ask.</p> <h2>Where the funds would go</h2> <blockquote> <p>We have a singular focus these days at all 23 campuses of the California State University to get more students to a high-quality degree sooner. We call it our Graduation Initiative, and these resources would be used for exactly that purpose – to make certain we have faculty and academic support staff, courses being offered at the right time for our students so they can get to their degree sooner and then move on to whatever’s next for them.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Which areas need the most financial support</h2> <blockquote> <p>The biggest part would be hiring faculty and academic support, paying our employees a fair rate for their contributions to our students’ success. Those are the major things.</p> <p>We also have our learning spaces, the buildings on our campuses. You know, when you’re 23 campuses, over half of them are 40 years old or older. They require some care and love every once in a while to keep them a great learning environment, so some of the money would be used for that as well.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Why the funding is so important this year</h2> <blockquote> <p>California has this tremendous need for more people in the knowledge economy who have at least a Bachelor’s degree, and you’ve heard these estimates by other people that we’re looking at a drought, a gap of about a million degrees between now and 2030. Cal State University is responsible for about half of that amount of additional graduates – 500,000 more Bachelor’s degrees beyond what we normally do between now and 2030. </p> <p>The second reason is there’s opportunity this year. The state coffers are strong. These are taxpayers’ dollars that have come in. We feel it’s very important to invest in sort of this seed corn, if you will, of our students.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Which cuts Cal State would have to make if the funding doesn’t come through</h2> <blockquote> <p>We would end up having fewer courses available, fewer faculty available for our students. We would admit fewer students, so access would go down. In the time it would take them to earn their degrees, it would start to move in the other direction. Instead of getting shorter, it would get longer. And it wouldn’t be an effect in one year. It’s like throwing a pebble in a pond, it would hit and it would ripple out over several years.</p> <p>So we just think that we have made a very strong case. The legislature has been very responsive. And now the remaining task is to make certain that Cal State’s needs are at the top of what legislature brings into that final sausage making, if you will, of the budget process.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Chancellor White’s response to Gov. Brown’s statement that the Cal State and UC systems needs to live within their means</h2> <blockquote> <p>Well, I understand the Governor’s point of view, of balancing a very large budget of which we’re a component. But I also know that we have turned every stone on efficiencies and effectivenesses.</p> <p>We have, for example, joined in the procurement business. We buy a lot of things as a university of our size. We’ve joined with the University of California so we can go out to bid for things that we both buy and get the lowest possible price. We share other business services with the UC, and we’ve ended up saving, you know, hundreds of millions of dollars on efficiencies while remaining effective.</p> <p>But there is a cost of doing business. Even though it’s bigger than the number the Governor has put out there, it’s very much of a bare bones ask, to be honest with you.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Why Cal State won’t be raising tuition to get the funding </h2> <blockquote> <p>I pulled tuition off the table for the next year, the 2018-19 year. So Cal States would under no circumstances raise tuition. We have decided to focus exclusively on the state of California’s ability to increase our state appropriation as the best way to go forward this year.</p> <p>It is a very difficult moment for us, and I think if we’re unsuccessful, there will be reductions. But we have come to the conclusion that the best strategy, telling our story and why we matter for California’s future, has been well received by the Legislature and we’re going to continue to close out this budget season with that push and that push only.</p> </blockquote> <h2>How Cal State is lobbying in Sacramento</h2> <blockquote> <p>We have students telling their personal stories, we have alumni talking about their time on one of our 23 campuses and what they’re now doing in society. You know, over half the engineers in California are graduates of Cal State University. Over half the teachers are graduates of Cal State. Over half the healthcare workers.</p> <p>You could go down the list of all the major parts of our economy, the business and industrial sector of our economy, and you see Cal State students everywhere. You know, one in ten people in California who are employed are Cal State graduates. That’s 10 percent of the world’s fifth largest economy come out of this university. I mean, that’s a stunning statistic when you stop and think about it.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Why Cal State won’t settle for less than its $263 million ask</h2> <blockquote> <p>We are very firm that the $263 million ask that our trustees put forward in November is for our highest priority needs. And that is the number that we believe is both appropriate and fair, and that’s the number that we are pushing for.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63031/csu-chancellor-timothy-white-on-cal-state-s-big-pu/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Thu, 17 May 2018 12:01:47 -0700 LA Metro shows LGBT Pride with limited edition TAP cards. Here's where to get one https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63020/in-time-for-long-beach-festival-metro-shows-lgbt-p/ https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63020/in-time-for-long-beach-festival-metro-shows-lgbt-p/ Julia Paskin | Take Two <img src="https://a.scpr.org/i/460d54b80637076277bede9da64cb3b2/207737-small.jpg" width="1136" height="640" alt="Limited edition Pride TAP card 2018" /> <p><i>Limited edition Pride TAP cards will be available at specific times and locations surrounding LGBT celebrations throughout the summer.; Credit: Courtesy of Los Angeles Country Metropolitan Transit Authority</i></p> <p><address>Julia Paskin | Take Two</address></p><p>The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro) has released the first set of this year's LGBT Pride-themed TAP cards, and they are expected to sell out fast. </p> <p>The first batch became available on May 16 in anticipation of Long Beach's annual Pride Festival. </p> <blockquote> <p>This weekend is all about LOVE and we can't wait to celebrate! Join us for the <a href="https://twitter.com/LongBeachPride?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LongBeachPride</a> Festival &amp; Parade on 5/19 &amp; 20! Find all the info you need for this amazing annual event at <a href="https://t.co/s6kGkmq8QR">https://t.co/s6kGkmq8QR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VisitLB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VisitLB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LongBeachPride?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LongBeachPride</a> <a href="https://t.co/VES15TTuk7">pic.twitter.com/VES15TTuk7</a></p> — Long Beach CVB (@VisitLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/VisitLB/status/996836476062195712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2018</a> </blockquote> <p>Metro began putting out special Pride TAP cards in smaller batches over the last few years, and they were a smash hit. So by popular demand, Metro created a new design for this year, expanded the locations the cards are stocked, and bumped up their production from 10,000 to 100,000 TAP cards. (You can check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2112428925450369&amp;set=g.301274650205909&amp;type=1&amp;theater&amp;ifg=1" title="last year's design here.">last year's design here.</a>)</p> <p>Don't let that large supply fool you. That 100,000 is to cover multiple releases in conjunction with local pride events throughout summer. So when this limited release sells out, they're gone for good. The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/301274650205909/">collectors</a> are first in line. And they are not messing around. </p> <blockquote> <p>I proudly present to you my LA County TAP Card collection. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoMetro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoMetro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/publictransit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#publictransit</a> <a href="https://t.co/Vs6wgyCHJH">pic.twitter.com/Vs6wgyCHJH</a></p> — Kenny Uong (@_KennyUong_) <a href="https://twitter.com/_KennyUong_/status/880934357807935488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2017</a> </blockquote> <p>The Pride TAP card is part of a larger outreach to LA's LGBT community.</p> <p>"We also have ads on the sides of buses and railcars so we are continuing that same design throughout the system, and we want to continue that look through L.A. County," said Devon Deming, Director of Metro Commute Services. "The LGBT community is a very important part of the fabric of Los Angeles. Metro is a very important part of Los Angeles, and we want to connect these two. And the cards signify that everyone is welcome on Metro."</p> <h3><strong>Here's where you can get a Pride TAP card right now (while supplies last):</strong></h3> <p><strong>Metro Blue Line Stops</strong></p> <ul> <li> <strong>​</strong>First Street Station</li> <li>Downtown Long Beach Station (Transit Mall) </li> <li>Pacific Avenue Station</li> <li>Willow Street Station</li> </ul> <p><strong>And...</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.metro.net/about/contact/customer-centers/">Metro Customer Centers</a></li> </ul> <p>The Pride TAP cards will be available in the greater L.A. area beginning June 2 — just in time for West Hollywood Pride. Here's where:</p> <ul> <li>Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station</li> <li>7th St/Metro Center</li> <li>Union Station</li> <li>North Hollywood Station</li> <li>Hollywood/Vine Station</li> <li>Universal City/Studio City Station</li> <li>Wilshire/Western Station</li> <li>Culver City Station</li> <li>Downtown Santa Monica Station</li> <li>Memorial Park Station</li> </ul> <p>After that, there will be another release for the DTLA Pride event in August. The cards will be available at the stations below starting Wednesday, Aug. 22:</p> <ul> <li>Union Station</li> <li>Civic Center/Grand Park Station</li> <li>Pershing Square Station</li> <li>7th St/Metro Center</li> </ul> <blockquote> <p>Here’s where to get Ride with Pride TAP cards starting tomorrow! <a href="https://t.co/Tntph9Gju6">https://t.co/Tntph9Gju6</a> <a href="https://t.co/byUjnjqO6t">pic.twitter.com/byUjnjqO6t</a></p> — Metro (@metrolosangeles) <a href="https://twitter.com/metrolosangeles/status/996422539613233154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2018</a> </blockquote> <p>Metro said that while very popular, limited edition TAP cards don't really generate a boost in revenue. But the buzz and community connection they generate are well worth the efforts.</p> <p>"We really want Metro to be a recognized brand in Los Angeles," said Deming. "We're trying to raise awareness and hopefully increase ridership."</p> <p>Metro has churned out more commemorative TAP cards of late, so keep a look out for the next special release to add to your collection. With the Pride edition's popularity, an annual appearance of a Pride-themed design is likely in the cards for Metro. According to Deming, "We hope to have a new design every year."</p> <p><a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2018/05/17/63020/in-time-for-long-beach-festival-metro-shows-lgbt-p/">This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.</a></p> Thu, 17 May 2018 10:45:21 -0700