A respected homeless services non-profit is sued by California for $114 million in grant money
Step Up On Second Street, a Santa Monica-based homeless services organization, is coming under scrutiny for failing to turn motels into housing for the homeless. The organization, alongside its partners Shangri-La Industries received $114 million in grant money from Governor Newsom’s Project Roomkey, but its seven projects have failed and gone into foreclosure. Now, the state of California is suing both Step Up and Shangri-La on behalf of the California Department of Housing and Community development. Joining us this morning on AirTalk to discuss their investigation into this story is Anna Scott, with the California Newsroom and Doug Smith, senior writer at the LA Times.
Three LA museums to benefit from 260 piece collection donated by philanthropists Jarl and Pamela Mohn
The Hammer Museum, the L.A. County Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art are the beneficiaries of a large collection of art comprised entirely of pieces by L.A.-based artists donated by philanthropists Jarl and Pamela Mohn. In addition to the collection of 260 works, the Mohns are also endowing $15-20 million for future acquisitions. It will also cover care and storage costs for the collection. Jarl Mohn, who is the former president and CEO of NPR and also served on Southern California Public Radio’s board for more than a decade, told the Los Angeles Times that endowment was the largest of everything he’s supported at art institutions across Los Angeles over the last two decades.
Today on AirTalk, Jarl Mohn is with Larry Mantle to talk about the collection he and his wife are gifting to these local museums.
The first flight around the world and the American team that changed aviation as we knew it
The first flight around the world in 1924 forever changed the world of aviation and led to what we know of modern-day air travel. Trust in aviation was low in 1920s America, but that changed when a team of four Americans took on other leading aviators throughout the world to try and become the first to circle the globe. A new book tells the story of the race and those who took part. David Randall, reporter for Reuters and author of Into Unknown Skies: An Unlikely Team, a Daring Race, and the First Flight Around the World (Mariner Books, September 17, 2024), joins AirTalk to discuss.
Ten LAUSD schools opt-out of standardized testing
Last week, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education approved a resolution allowing 10 schools to opt out of standardized testing. Passed by a narrow 4-3 vote, the resolution enables these schools to pilot a new approach to academic assessment, where teachers and administrators implement testing measures. The initiative aims to reduce reliance on standardized tests, which some argue cause undue anxiety among students. However, critics contend that standardized tests offer valuable metrics for measuring academic performance. Joining us to discuss is Howard Blume, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, Rocío Rivas, board member and co-sponsor of the resolution and board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin, who voted no on the resolution.
More money, more problems: Do allowances actually help teach kids personal finance?
Teaching kids the worth of a dollar (or maybe 5 dollars now-a-days) has always been tricky. Whether it's a new toy, candy, or a ticket to see a movie, children rely on their parents to make the purchase, often not fully realizing the expense. Enter the allowance. Allowances have always been held up as the solution to kids' money management. But in today's age when physical cash is becoming less common, does the allowance still hold water for helping children to understand and value finances? Did it ever? And how should parents go about distributing an allowance to where it is effective in teaching their kids financial literacy?
Today on AirTalk, we talk to Michelle Singletary, personal finance columnist for the Washington Post, about the lessons allowances can teach our kids. We also want to hear from you! Are you a parent trying to determine how best to teach your child money management? Share your experience with us. How effective did you find getting an allowance as a kid? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
You can read Michelle's column on the topic here.
