Latest On The Crisis In Ukraine As Death Toll Mounts And Putin’s Options Narrow
Russia’s two-week-long war in Ukraine has killed thousands of people and forced more than 2 million others to flee the country, shaking the foundations of European security. Across Ukraine, civilians trapped in besieged or destroyed areas are suffering from electricity outages and shortages of food, medicines and other vital services.
Today on the program, we get the latest news on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine from staff writer at the Kyiv Independent Asami Terajima, and hear about the narrowing options of Russian President Vladimir Putin from UCLA political science professor Daniel Treisman as casualties mount.
Files from the Associated Press
California Lags Behind Most States In Ratio Of Students To School Counselors -- How To Address It
For a state with a budget surplus that so often talks about the importance of funding education, it might surprise you to know that California ranks sixth-worst in the nation when it comes to its ratio of students per school counselor, according to the American School Counselor Association. That organization recommends a ratio of 250 students per school counselor. California’s average? 527-to-1. Awareness of the need for adequate student support staff in schools, including access to mental health counselors, has been growing over the last handful of years but the pandemic has underscored this need even further. The state of California has allocated money in recent years for counseling, but as EdSource’s Carolyn Jones writes in a recent piece, some counselors in the state say more work still needs to be done to put adequate numbers of counselors in schools across the state.
Today on AirTalk, we talk with Loretta Whitson from the California Association of School Counselors, Josh Godinez a school counselor at Centennial High School in the Corona-Norco Unified School District, and Káty Castellanos, director of college and career readiness at Santa Ana Unified School District about what they’ve observed from the state as far as efforts to allocate more funding for school counselors, how the pandemic has highlighted the need for these positions to be funded and why they think California ranks so low nationally in counselor-to-student ratio.
COVID-19 AMA: Mask Mandate for Flights Extended, California Braces For Long COVID Impacts, And More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Shruti Gohil, professor of medicine and associate medical director for epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine.
Topics today include:
- Mask mandate extended for airline flights and on public transportation until April 18
- What are your potential risks at gyms, indoor dining, grocery stores as COVID cases fall and rules relax?
- L.A. County works to expand awareness of oral therapeutics to treat COVID-19
- California braces for long COVID
Vaccine verification mandates:
- L.A. moves to lift vaccine verification mandate at indoor businesses
- San Francisco’s vaccine verification mandate ends Friday, but many restaurants will still check cards
- Germany posts a one-day record in cases even as it plans to lift restrictions
Why Are Car Prices Still So High? There’s A Very Specific Reason
If you’ve been in the market for a new car recently, you’ve probably noticed higher than usual price tags. The reason is directly tied to the pandemic, which forced automakers to scale back their operations in March of 2020 and in some cases close down completely. Anticipating a downturn in car sales as well, which did indeed plunge in the first weeks of the pandemic, automakers trimmed their orders for computer chips, a necessary component for any car. But when sales turned upwards much sooner and faster than expected, automakers were left in short supply of computer chips, which manufacturers had already allocated to other customers. Nearly two years later and things haven’t improved much. Dealers have lots full of cars ready to be sold but missing a final, critical component. To stay in business, they’ve had to jack up their prices, which for new cars is up by 12% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumers are feeling the impact, in some cases paying thousands more than the sticker price. And if you were thinking that buying a used car might be better, you’re in for a rude awakening there too. According to Edmunds, an online resource for automotive inventory and information, used car prices have climbed over 40% compared to their usual cost.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll speak with Jacob Bogage, business reporter for the Washington Post who wrote an article about the industry’s supply shortages back in February and Jessica Caldwell, Executive Director of insights at Edmunds.
The Price Of Everything Is Going Up. We Ask Listeners How That’s Affecting Their Daily Lives
Propelled by surging costs for gas, food and housing, consumer inflation jumped 7.9% over the past year, the sharpest spike since 1982. The increase reported Thursday by the Labor Department reflected the 12 months ending in February and didn’t include the oil and gas price surges that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Since then, average gas prices nationally have jumped about 62 cents a gallon to $4.32, according to AAA. In California, the average price is $5.69 per gallon. Meanwhile, supply shortages have persisted, prices for food and other goods continue to go up, and housing costs have risen sharply. For most Americans, inflation is running far ahead of the pay raises that many have received in the past year, making it harder for them to afford necessities like food, gas, and rent. Has inflation and the cost of consumer goods changed how you live your daily life? Have you cut back on trips or the food you buy? Have you considered moving to a cheaper place as rents rise?
Today on AirTalk, we ask listeners what they’ve changed as prices go up, and speak with Delia Fernandez, financial advisor at Fernandez Financial Advisory LLC in Los Alamitos.