The Average Age Of Americans Is The Highest It's Ever Been. Why?

According to data released today by the Census Bureau, the median age in the United States reached a record high age of 38.9 years old in 2022. That number has been slowly but steadily increasing in recent decades. In 1980, the median age was 30, in 2000, it was 35. According to researchers, low birth rates among Americans are the cause of this spike. Since the beginning of the Great Recession in 2007, fertility has remained consistently low compared to previous generations, but the increase in median age also goes across borders, affecting countries with more robust social safety nets like Norway and Sweden, which commonly provide subsidized child care. The data also suggests that the United States is also becoming more diverse. Between 2021 and 2022, the Hispanic population increased by 1.7 percent; the Black population by 0.9 percent; and the white population by 0.1 percent. Joining us to discuss why the population is aging, and what the consequences might be is Dowell Myers, professor of policy, planning and demography at the USC Price School of Public Policy.

A Major New Study On California’s Homelessness Crisis Offers Insights, Recommendations

The main barrier to fixing California’s homelessness crisis is the massive shortage of affordable housing for people with very low incomes, and fixing that is “essential” to solving homelessness, according to a major new study of unhoused Californians. That’s the top recommendation from the study, led by UC San Francisco and billed as the largest representative study of homelessness in the nation in 30 years. The year-long study surveyed 3,200 unhoused people across the state, 365 of whom were interviewed in-depth. Using statistical analysis, researchers sought participants who would represent the state’s overall unhoused population. Joining us to unpack the findings of the study is LAist senior reporter covering unhoused communities, Nick Gerda.

With files from LAist. Read the full story here. 

Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Celebrating Restaurant Regulars And The Unique Personality They Bring To Their Table

They might not be easy to spot right as you walk in, but almost every restaurant has “regulars” -- you know, the customers who come in…well, regularly each day or week or month. They might sit at the same table or barstool, or order the same thing each time they come in, but ask just about any restaurant owner, and they’ll tell you their regulars are an important part of the overall ecosystem of their business. Not only are they consistently patronizing the business, but a good community of regulars can add to a restaurant’s ambiance and make the staff’s experience at work that much more enjoyable.

Today on AirTalk, we’ll speak with Suzanne Tracht, owner and chef at Jar, a modern chophouse in the Beverly Grove neighborhood, about the role of the “regular” in the overall restaurant ecosystem and some of her favorite regulars at her restaurant. And we'll hear from listeners who are regulars themselves and hear stories about their favorite LA restaurants and diners.

Fewer Migrants Are Being Granted Asylum. What’s The State Of Immigration Policy After Title 42?

Joy over the end of the public health restriction known as Title 42 last month turned into anguish with the uncertainty of how the Biden administration’s new rules would affect asylum seekers. A little over a month later and though the government opened some new avenues for immigration, the fate of many people is largely left to a U.S. government app–CBP One–only used for scheduling an appeal appointment at a port of entry. Between May and mid-June the rate of single adult migrants who have passed the first interview for asylum at the border declined from an average of 83% in 2019 to 46% under the Biden adjusted Title 8 rules. Here to talk about what exactly has changed in the application procedures for immigration and asylum in the U.S. is Allen Orr, former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

With Files From The Associated Press

When You Were A Student, Was There A Time You Took On Your School And Won?

A recent piece on LAist by reporters Jill Replogle and Mariana Dale highlighted six remarkable young people who challenged the status quo at their schools…and won. These students tackled a wide range of issues, from converting a storage room into a music studio to extending their school’s lunch period, but all left their mark. But standing up to the powers that be is never easy. Joining us to discuss their piece are Jill Replogle, senior reporter covering Orange County, and Mariana Dale, senior reporter covering K-12 education. We also hear from listeners who partook in activism in high school and enacted positive change through their efforts.

TV-Talk: 6 Show To Check Out This Week Including “The Bear” Season 2 & Marvel’s “Secret Invasion”

Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we’re going to try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, Larry Mantle talks television with Angie Han, tv critic for The Hollywood Reporter and Liz Shannon Miller, senior entertainment editor at Consequence.

This week’s shows include:

• The Bear [Season 2] (Hulu) 
• Secret Invasion  (Disney+)
• Glamorous (Netflix)
• I’m A Virgo (Amazon Prime Video)
• And Just Like That  [Season 2] (Max)
• Swagger [Season 2] (Apple TV+) or Black Mirror [Season 6]