Expert on church finances, and author of Why Catholics Don’t Give…and What Can Be Done About It and Professor of Economics at Villanova University, a Catholic university in Pennsylvania
Chuck Zech on KCRW
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California v. Trump on auto emissions
EnvironmentCalifornia’s relentless clean-air enforcer, Mary Nichols, has divided the automobile industry. After weeks of secret negotiations, the Chair of the State’s Air Resources Board has announced that Ford, Honda VW and BMW of America won’t go along with President Trump’s rollback of Barack Obama’s fuel-economy standards. Nichols claims it’s an “olive branch,” giving car makers the “flexibility” to clean up the air at the same time they continue to market vehicles that make the most money. Brady Dennis of the Washington Post calls it a “big deal,” even if Toyota, GM and 11 other companies revert to Trump’s new federal standards--at least for the moment. Alan Baum is a consultant for both the industry and environmental organizations. He says the four who made the deal with California have a slight lead on their competitors in developing the technology of the future, with China currently far ahead of them all. He says the western car makers are doing a poor job of educating consumers about the benefits of hybrids and electrics. Nichols’s history with the Air Resources Board goes back to the 1970’s. She was named Chair by Republican Governor Arnold Schwartenegger and reappointed by Democrats Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom. She made an international name for herself for years ago when she blew the whistle on Volkswagen for faking emissions tests on the diesel cars it sold for decades all over the world.
Democratic candidates' visions for health care
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Have a friend call you regularly… for a fee
Los AngelesFor a monthly fee, the Santa Monica startup Carenote connects lonely Americans with a person in the Philippines who calls regularly to chat.
Living in your car under LA’s reinforced restrictions
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ICE agents arrest hundreds of agricultural workers
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How to alleviate LA’s congested freeways?
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Music as rehabilitation at California prisons
Los AngelesRock musician Cody Marks and her band have been playing at California prisons for more than a decade as part of the nonprofit Jail Guitar Doors, which offers music workshops as a form…
Judging the judge
CaliforniaThe death of the nation’s longest serving federal judge is a reminder about our lack of effective judicial oversight.
