California Unions Allege Misuse of Voter-Approved Funds For Arts Education

Disney’s Shareholder Showdown – How A Looming Vote Could Impact The Company

A number of people are vying for a seat on Disney’s board of directors, including billionaire Nelson Peltz, three candidates from Blackwells Capital and several of Disney’s own contenders. Shareholders must cast their votes by 11:59 pm Eastern Time Tuesday, and the outcomes could have big implications on Disney CEO Bob Iger’s plans for the company. Joining Larry to discuss the controversy and the implications is Meg James, senior entertainment industry writer for the Los Angeles Times, and Sean McNulty, who covers the business Hollywood and media industry in a daily newsletter called The Wakeup at The Ankler. Do you have questions? Call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.

LED Headlights On Cars Are Becoming A Growing Trend, Here’s What You Need To Know About Them

Despite regulations not having changed much in the automobile industry, technology has, and one bright example of that is LED headlights. People might be familiar with LEDs given their common use in households, being a cost-efficient product, but their brightness on roads throughout the country has stirred up some glaring issues for folks. The brightness of LED headlights can be a double-edged sword on streets, making it easier for a driver to see what’s ahead on most days, but making it difficult for drivers ahead of them to see their rear view.

Today on AirTalk, we look into this trend with David Aylor, vice president of active safety at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. We also want to hear from you: do you have LED headlights on your vehicle or have you encountered cars that have? Tell us about it, call us, or fill out our comment form above.

Read more on the topic on LAist by clicking here.

Beyonce’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ And The Long Legacy Of Black Country Musicians

Last month, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to ever top Billboard’s country music chart. Her new album “Cowboy Carter” doesn’t shy away from country. It includes collaborations with Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and includes a mention of the “Chitlin’ Circuit,” a Jim Crow-era network of Black entertainment venues. One song is titled “The Linda Martell Show,” after the performer who became the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry. Country has a long and rich history in the Black community, one that has been largely ignored in our modern narrative of what country is, and isn’t. Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss Beyonce’s new album and the legacy of Black musicians in the country music genre is Tammy Kernodle, Professor of Music at Miami University, in Ohio and Alice Randall, professor of African American and Diaspora Studies at Vanderbilt University and author of the new book “My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future.”

California Unions Allege Misuse Of Voter-Approved Funds For Arts Education

High-profile California teachers and non-employee school unions are urging state intervention to address alleged misuse of voter-approved funding meant for expanding arts education in California. The unions, alongside former Los Angeles schools Supt. Austin Beutner, assert that some school districts are diverting the funds, totaling $938 million this year, for purposes other than enhancing arts programs, despite a new law mandating its specific use. According to Proposition 28, schools are mandated to allocate the funds towards enhancing their arts programs, with each school having the autonomy to determine the most effective way to enhance their programs. Joining us to discuss is Howard Blume, staff writer covering education for the Los Angeles Times and Austin Beutner, former superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Read LAist K-12 Senior Reporter Mariana Dale’s full story here

A New Skin Test For Parkinson’s Can Help Doctors Diagnose The Disease

A recent Wall Street Journal piece highlighted a new diagnostic tool for Parkinson’s: a skin biopsy that can identify the abnormal protein whose build-up causes the disease. While not intended as a screening tool, it can help doctors nail down a diagnosis when faced with a patient whose symptoms could be indicative of a broader range of conditions. Less invasive than, say, a spinal tap, the test retails for $1500 before insurance. How does the test work? And how can doctors integrate it into treatment for Parkinson’s? Joining us to discuss is Todd Levine, chief medical officer of CND Life Sciences, the medical technology company in Scottsdale, Arizona that makes the test and Christopher Gibbons, neurologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, and lead author of a study on the Parkinson’s skin test.

How Creating A Culture Of Growth Can Lead To All Kinds Of Success

What is a culture of growth and how can it inspire breakthroughs and innovation in groups and teams? This is the focus of the new book “Cultures of Growth: How the New Science of Mindset Can Transform Individuals, Teams, and Organizations” (Simon & Schuster, 2024). Author Mary C. Murphy, who’s also a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Indiana University, uses research and anecdotal stories to examine the theory. She joins Larry to discuss. Questions or thoughts? Call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.