California Has Historic Budget Surplus–How Will It Be Spent? | KPCC – NPR News for Southern California

The 68-12 months-outdated suspect within the mass taking pictures assault on a Taiwanese American congregation in south Orange County harbored hate towards Taiwanese folks, in response to authorities. David Chou “was upset about political tensions between China and Taiwan” and had left notes in his automotive that indicated “his real hatred of the Taiwanese people,” in response to Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes. The FBI, in the meantime, introduced it had sufficient proof to open a federal hate crime investigation to find out what expenses could possibly be introduced towards the suspected gunman. Sunday’s assault killed 52-12 months-outdated Dr. John Cheng who witnesses mentioned acted heroically – and wounded 5 others. For Taiwan — and its diaspora — political tensions with China have loomed for many years. But with the taking pictures investigation pending and necessary particulars concerning the suspect’s motives and background nonetheless lacking, Taiwan-China watchers warned towards extrapolating a political narrative from a single tragedy.

Today on AirTalk we communicate with KPCC & LAist Asian American Communities Reporter Josie Huang, director of USC’s US-China Institute Clayton Dube, and Yorba Linda Councilmember Peggy Huang, her mother and father are members of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, concerning the affect of this tragedy on the native Laguna Woods neighborhood and shed perception into the complicated political historical past between China and Taiwan.

As temperatures soar and drought circumstances worsen throughout the state, California’s power consultants fear about what’s in retailer for the state’s energy grid this summer time. The California Public Utilities Commission and the state’s Energy Commission issued a report on Friday, May sixth, wherein they predicted that the state could have 1,700 fewer megawatts of energy in the course of the hottest months of the summer time than it usually has. The deficit may develop to as a lot as 5,000 megawatts if the grid faces extra challenges whereas making an attempt to fulfill hovering calls for. In August 2020, amid circumstances of maximum warmth, the state ordered utility operators to quickly minimize energy to a whole lot of 1000’s of consumers. Experts warn that we’re prone to be in the same state of affairs this summer time.

Today on AirTalk, we’re joined by LA Times reporter Sammy Roth and Elliot Mainzer, president and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (ISO), to speak concerning the state of California’s electrical grid and what we are able to anticipate as we enter the 12 months’s hottest months.

California Governor Gavin Newsom not too long ago launched a revision to his finances proposal, together with a virtually $100 billion surplus, the biggest in state historical past. The Governor mentioned he plans to spend most of that on one-time state tasks.

The surplus was a results of the state’s capital good points tax, and its supply has raised questions on whether or not this degree of a finances surplus may proceed sooner or later. Today on AirTalk, we reply that query and talk about the state’s finances with CalMatters state politics reporter Ben Christopher and Brian Uhler, deputy legislative analyst for the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, which simply launched its report on the Governor’s plan.

The June main is arising and many individuals have already acquired their mail-in ballots at residence. Here at KPCC and LAist, we’re shifting the main focus of our political protection away from politicians and towards voters. To that finish, we requested listeners and readers to inform us what’s necessary to you this election season, and the questions and feedback we acquired fell largely into 4 key matters, what we’re calling “destiny issues”: housing and homelessness, systemic racism, equitable economies, and schooling. So right here on AirTalk, we’re spending the month earlier than the first drilling down on every of these 4 areas.

Today on the present, Larry will communicate with UCLA’s Los Angeles Institute Director Zev Yaroslavsky, and Sarah Bohn, vice chairman of analysis on the Public Policy Institute of California about financial instability and the rising wealth hole in L.A. County and past. Tomorrow and Thursday we’ll take a better have a look at different facets of those points.

Our newsroom is getting you prepared for the first with our new “Voter Game Plan”… proper now at LAist.com/votergameplan, you’ll discover interviews with 4 of the main candidates for Los Angeles mayor, together with information on easy methods to vote and the problems at stake. 

In our persevering with sequence trying on the newest medical analysis and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Kimberly Shriner, director of Infectious Disease and Prevention at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.

Topics as we speak embody:

California Attorney General Rob Bonta requested an Orange County Superior Court to place a multi million greenback deal to promote the Angel Stadium property on maintain. That’s as a result of Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu is being investigated for public corruption referring to the sale. The sale of the land has been fraught with controversy and lawsuits over the past couple of years. The state housing company simply final week requested Anaheim City Council members to close down a revised growth settlement, arguing that the revised plan cuts a major variety of reasonably priced housing items. Officials allege Sidhu confirmed intent to solicit marketing campaign contributions as an effort to finalize the deal, in response to Bill Shaikin’s report within the LA Times. Officials near the case additionally say there’s possible trigger exhibiting Sidhu might have shared confidential information relating to sale negotiations. Bill Shaikin, baseball reporter for the LA Times, joins Larry as we speak to debate the newest hurdle within the course of to promote the property.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says his deal to purchase Twitter can’t transfer ahead except the corporate exhibits public proof that lower than 5% of the accounts on the social media platform are pretend or spam. The push to realize leverage in buying the social media platform has raised questions on whether or not the deal will truly undergo and what issues may come up for each Musk and Twitter if the deal falls aside.

Today on AirTalk, we get the newest on the Musk-Twitter cope with New York Times enterprise & coverage reporter Lauren Hirsch.

With information from the Associated Press