Prop 36: Should we create harsher penalties for shoplifting and burglary crimes?
Proposition 36 would reclassify certain drug and theft misdemeanors to felonies. This is an attempt to walk back another effort approved by voters a decade ago – Prop 47 – which did the opposite. It reduced some felonies to misdemeanors as an attempt to address prison overcrowding.
Part of the push for Prop 36 is the rise of shoplifting and retail burglaries since 2019. According to Cal Matters, proponents of this year’s measure cite those increases as proof Prop 47 did more harm than good. They also say it’s a way to combat homelessness. Opponents of the measure say it’s a return to “the war on drugs,’ it will increase court and prison costs, and there’s no conclusive evidence that shows harsher punishment is the solution, according to Cal Matters. Voters ultimately get to decide. Joining to discuss is Greg Totten, president of the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA) and co-chair of the Yes on 36 Campaign, and Sam Lewis, executive director of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC).
How do women's brains change during pregnancy? A new study takes a closer look
A new study, published recently in the journal Nature Neuroscience, has revealed how one woman’s brain changed during the course of her pregnancy. Over the course of 3 years, Liz Chrastil, herself a neuroscientist, volunteered to have her brain scan a total of 26 times – before, during and after pregnancy. The findings expand upon what researchers have already seen in women’s brains before and after pregnancy. But unlike most other studies on “mommy brain,” this one also looked at a woman’s brain during pregnancy, which is much more rare. Joining us this morning on AirTalk is Emily Jacobs, senior study author and associate professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Jodi Paluwski, neuroscientist and author.
A new COVID subvariant is on the rise in Europe. Will it reach the US in time for the holiday season?
A new COVID subvariant is on the rise known as XEC. It is a hybrid between the two previous subvariants KP.3 and KS.1.1. XEC was first detected in Germany and has spread throughout other European countries, although its presence in the United States is still minimal. This new strain comes as Americans can now order free COVID-19 tests to their homes.
Today on AirTalk, we talk to Peter Chin-Hong, M.D., infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the UCSF Medical Center, about the new subvariant and whether or not we can expect resurgence of COVID as we head into the colder seasons.
SoCal History: How did it become time for Dodger baseball in Los Angeles?
Exactly 57 years ago today, the then-Brooklyn Dodgers put together a final hurrah for its home fans, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 at Ebbetts Field. The following season, the team transitioned away from its iconic B-shaped logo to one that read “LA,” to commemorate their arrival in Los Angeles. A lot has changed since then, having won 6 World Series championships since arriving in Tinseltown and creating a dedicated community of fans that most fanbases moving across the country could only dream of. But what led then-owner Walter O’Malley to uproot the franchise to another big city? And how much pushback was presented to the team before even arriving? Today on AirTalk, and for this week’s SoCal History segment, we get into the Dodgers' arrival to Los Angeles with Mark Langill, Los Angeles Dodgers team historian.
He was praised for sharing his road to recovery from drug addiction; then he relapsed
Back in 2006, William Cope Moyers published a memoir called “Broken” about his long addiction to crack-cocaine. He had found sobriety and openly shared that journey with others. But then the addiction returned when he was prescribed painkillers after dental work. Now, his new book “Broken Open,” details this next chapter of opioid addiction while acting as vice president of public affairs at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, a nonprofit addiction treatment provider based in Minnesota. William Cope Moyers, author of the book “Broken Open: What Painkillers Taught me about Life and Recovery,” joins us today on Airtalk to discuss this next chapter of his life, the shame and the discoveries as he continues his path to recovery.
William will have a discussion and signing of his book at DIESEL Bookstore in Brentwood on Sunday, September 29th at 3 pm. The event is free and will be in the courtyard.
