The California legislature will consider changing how teachers are dismissed. State Senator Bob Huff will introduce SB 955 today—and Governor Schwarzenegger has thrown his weight behind it. If passed, public schools will be able to fire and assign teachers based on their performance, unlike the current system which only allows schools to use seniority as a factor in layoff decisions. Schools would also be allowed to issue layoff notices as late as June and school boards—not a state commission—will have final say over dismissals. Would the bill damage teachers’ rights? Or would the changes promote better, more efficient, education in California?
The state Assembly has advanced a bill that would change California's open-carry gun law. The legislation, authored by Assemblywoman Lori Saldana, would make it a misdemeanor to openly carry an unloaded handgun in public areas, subject to exceptions. In California, individuals are allowed to carry a gun without a license, though it must be unloaded. The measure would not affect current law that allows those with permits to carry concealed weapons, even if they are loaded. What does the proposed legislation mean for gun rights?
For Southern Californians, the thought of Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park probably conjures up certain memories depending on their age. For older people, perhaps it's from wandering Ghost Town or waiting for three hours to eat at Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant. Younger folks might remember the first time they hopped on the Calico Mountain Mine Ride or got spooked at Knott's Scary Farm. The new book Knott's Preserved tells the story of how Walter and Cordelia Knott's roadside berry stand gradually transformed into a major theme park. Larry Mantle takes a nostalgic walk through the history of Knott's Berry Farm with the book's authors.
Tuesday was Equal Pay Day, marking the extra months a woman must work on average to catch up to her male coworkers’ wages from the previous year. Despite the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, which extended the amount of time victims have to file discrimination cases, the fact remains: women are paid only 77 cents on average for every dollar paid to men. Advocates say more needs to be done to address this disparity and that the Senate should pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would close loopholes in the EPA and bar retaliation against workers who discuss their salaries. Why does the wage gap persist? Does our culture discourage women from seeking equal pay? How much can be attributed to salary secrecy? And would the Paycheck Fairness Act improve things for women who are bringing home the bacon?
Are we alone in the universe? In 1960, one astronomer began using radio telescopes to scan the skies for unearthly signals, and the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence was born. Now SETI has a home and an array of telescopes at UC Berkeley. Just in time for its 50th birthday, astronomer Paul Davies takes a look at SETI’s track record, and asks, is there a better way to listen for alien life? Davies joins Larry from the KPCC command center (no interstellar hookups required).
