Podcast appearances and mentions of kevin rector

Two years ago, Christopher and Eric used this podcast to bring much needed attention to the brutal homicide of a young gay man named William Arnold Newton, whose severed head and feet were found in a Hollywood dumpster in 1990. But when they went looking for local newspaper articles about Billy's gruesome and disturbing murder, the pickings were slim. Worse, there wasn't a word about the case to be found in LA's local paper of record, the Los Angeles Times. All that changed when out journalist Kevin Rector brought Billy Newton's face and story to the paper's front page. In this conclusion to #JusticeforBilly month, Rector joins Christopher and Eric for a discussion of the evolving nature of covering dark stories that involve the LGBT community — as well as sex workers and other marginalized communities — and the team of devoted amateur sleuths who brought Billy's story into his inbox and onto the Times' front page.

Black police officers are facing new challenges in the current atmosphere around policing, especially in the wake of George Floyd's murder and the many demonstrations against police brutality that have taken place over the last 18 months.In addition to heckling from activists on the streets, some of whom call them traitors, Black officers experience internal racism within the police department — which has always existed but has surfaced in new ways since last year's protests began.Today, Officer Michael Silva talks to L.A. Times reporter Kevin Rector about why he joined the Los Angeles Police Department, what he's experienced and where he thinks we can go from here.More reading:For a Black LAPD officer, police reckoning brings pressure from protesters and fellow copsIn court, BLM says LAPD ‘failed completely' to punish officers in protest abusesPolice Commission reinstates one of LAPD's first Black officers, undoing 120-year-old injustice2019 analysis: LAPD searches Blacks and Latinos more. But they're less likely to have contraband than whites

This last year, we've seen multiple rallies in Los Angeles — organized by Black Lives Matter, against the clearing of a homeless encampment in Echo Park, in celebration of the Dodgers' World Series win. Each one of these events was for a different cause but they ended in the same way: with the Los Angeles Police Department coming in, declaring an illegal gathering and clearing the crowds with tactics that many activists have deemed heavy-handed and violent. Frequently the police also fired hard foam projectiles. In some cases, the protesters and reporters covering these events were arrested and even shot with these projectiles, with police alleging various offenses. The police contend that the people assembled at these rallies failed to follow orders. Today, we talk to freelance journalist Lexis-Olivier Ray about what it's been like to cover these protests and to L.A. Times reporter Kevin Rector about a federal injunction that would temporarily restrict the LAPD's use of less-lethal weapons.More reading:‘The Scariest Days of My Life:' As a Black Journalist, Covering Civil Rights Protests Has Been HarrowingJudge grants preliminary injunction limiting LAPD projectile weapons at protestsPhotojournalists sue LAPD, L.A. County sheriff over alleged abuses at protests

A Covid vaccines is put on hold. City Controller blows up LA's excuses about Project Roomkey expansion. County considering Dr. Drew for LAHSA oversight. Bruce's Beach may be returned 100 years after racist seizure action. LAPD acquitting itself of policy violations. Farewell to the ArcLight.Show NotesJohnson and Johnson Vaccine PauseCalifornia pauses Johnson & Johnson vaccine use (Luke Money, Taryn Luna, Laura J. Nelson, Hayley Smith; LAT; 4/13/21)PRK Bombshellhttps://twitter.com/PplsCityCouncil/status/1382869701852729348 (People’s City Council; Twitter; 4/15/21)Letter to Mayor and City Council: FEMA (Google Docs)LAHSAhttps://twitter.com/calwatch/status/1382844495037829120?s=20 (Henry Fung; Twitter; 4/15/21)Dr. Drew Warns of Plague Threat from Los Angeles Homeless (drdrew.com; 2/9/18)https://twitter.com/MyDickerson/status/1373718359955542020 (Mike Dickerson; Twitter; 3/21/21)Editorial: Dr. Drew is the wrong choice for L.A.’s homelessness authority (LAT Editorial Board; LAT; 4/16/21)'Dr. Drew' eyed for homeless commission, angering advocates who wonder: Is this a joke? (Jaclyn Cosgrove; LAT; 4/16/21)Bruce’s BeachOp-Ed: Californians need to face the truth in our own backyards to redress historic wrongs (Steven Bradford; LAT; 4/13/21)Leaders Announce Legislation as First Step toward Returning Bruce’s Beach (Steven Bradford; sd35.senate.ca.gov; 4/9/21)California Beach Seized in 1924 From a Black Family Could Be Returned (Jacey Fortin; NYT; 4/18/21)State of the CityState of the City 2019 (Eric Garcetti; lamayor.org; 2019)State of the City 2020 (Eric Garcetti; lamayor.org; 2020)People's Budget LA – Fund services, not cops (People’s Budget LA)PoliceLAPD rejecting most complaints against officers from summer protests; others still under review (Kevin Rector; LAT; 4/10/21)https://twitter.com/CarpendiCacoeth/status/1383625516687659016 (Cacoëthes Carpendi; Twitter; 4/17/21)https://twitter.com/W_R_Emory/status/1383280504976199680 (Bill Emory; Twitter; 4/16/21)Officer alleging harassment says he feared retaliation (Dakota Smith; LAT; 4/6/21)Place and Thank YouAfter ArcLight Cinemas' closure, what happens next? (Ryan Faughnder; LAT; 4/16/21)Don’t Worry, the Cinerama Dome Won’t Get Demolished (Probably) (Alissa Walker; Curbed; 4/13/21)Dome Theater's Curved Screen Is Saved From Wrecking Ball (Bettina Boxall; LAT; 12/9/1998)Is Arclight Cinemas Owned By the Church of Scientology? (Adrian Glick Kudler; Curbed LA; 10/11/13)ArcLight Hollywood's Cinerama Dome doesn't need reinvention (Nita Lelyveld; LAT; 4/17/21)

Cited Works Meena Venkataramanan, Texas Rangers History, The Texas Tribune, August 15, 2020, https://www.texastribune.org/2020/08/15/texas-rangers-racist-violent-history/ History.com Editors, “Zoot Suit Riots,” History, September 15, 2020, https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/zoot-suit-riots Daniel Hernandez, “A Loss of Innocence,” Los Angeles Times, August 23, 2020, https://www.latimes.com/projects/chicano-moratorium/chicano-moratorium-participants-discuss-movement/ Earl Caldwell, “Grape Strike,” New York Times, August 3, 1973, https://www.nytimes.com/1973/08/03/archives/picket-shot-many-more-arrested-in-grape-strike-violencecaused.html “Police shootings,” The Washington Post, 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/investigations/police-shootings-database/ Kevin Rector, “LAPD Shootings,” Los Angeles Times, May 12, 2020, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-12/lapd-use-of-force-report “Crime in the U.S,” FBI UCR, 2016, https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2016/crime-in-the-u.s.-2016/topic-pages/tables/table-21 Jared Taylor, “Race and Crime,” American Renaissance, December 2, 2020, https://www.amren.com/features/2020/12/race-and-crime-who-attacks-whom/ “LAPD End of Year Executive Summary,” 2018 http://lapd-assets.lapdonline.org/assets/2018-uof-yr-end-ex-rpt.pdf Rosanna Smart, “Concealed-Carry Laws,” RAND Corporation, April 22, 2020, https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy/analysis/concealed-carry/violent-crime.html

COVID numbers keep dropping and vaccine eligibility expands. A report documents LAPD's response to the May and June protests against police brutality. And Alissa and Scott debate whether or not they should be freaking out about Gavin Newsom's recall election.HousekeepingScott was on Councilmember Mike Bonin's PodcastCovidCOVID Hospitalizations Drop Below 1,000 Ahead of LA County's Move to Red Tier (City News Service; NBC4; 3/13/21)California counties sidestep direct Blue Shield oversight in new vaccine deal (Melody Gutierrez; LAT; 3/12/21)AirTalk | Audio: LAUSD, Teachers Union Reach School Reopening Deal | 89.3 KPCC (Kyle Stokes; KPCC; 3/10/21)LAPD mishandled protestsReport By Independent Counsel, Gerald Chaleff, of the Police Department Response to Protests in May/June 2020 (City of LA; 3/10/21) Report faults LAPD for mishandling George Floyd unrest (Kevin Rector, Emily Alpert Reyes; LAT; 3/11/21)Police Commission finds flaws in LAPD fatal shootings (Cindy Chang; LAT; 3/14/21)LAPD faces ‘post-Rodney King environment’ as scrutiny over George Floyd protests builds (Kevin Rector; LAT; 3/13/21)https://twitter.com/AlpertReyes/status/1370094124464959488 (Emily Alpert Reyes; LAT; 3/11/21)Scott convinces Alissa not to worry about the recallWhat to Know Now About the Newsom Recall Effort (Priya Aurora, Jill Cowan; NYT; 3/12/21)Gavin Newsom Recall: Is California's Governor Blowing It? (Peter Kiefer; LA Mag; 2/23/21)"Political battle lines form as Newsom recall effort boasts of 2 million signatures (John Myers; LAT; 3/11/21)Recalling a California governor, explained (Laurel Rosenhall; CalMatters; 2/3/21)California’s Gavin NewsRecalling a California governor, explainedom Will Likely Face A Recall Election — But He’ll Probably Survive It (Geoffrey Skelley, Nathaniel Rakich; 538; 2/10/28)https://twitter.com/sherlyholmes/status/1370615005956087810 (Julia Wick; Twitter; 3/12/21)https://twitter.com/Kevin_Faulconer/status/1370208098158137349 (Kevin Faulconer; Twitter; 3/11/21)

You can find links to each of Sean's analysis pieces here. This article covers the week beginning May 31.

One of the most interesting aspects of the coronavirus pandemic is how our everyday lives have changed. One such thing is a move away from a culture of waste. People are re-growing scallions and growing herbs at home, washing and reusing Ziploc bags and more. But while being this frugal in the past was mostly rooted in saving money, this time around it's a little different. There is a fear of scarcity and also an effort to avoid unnecessary movement. Meredith Haggerty, editor at Vox, joins us for the novel frugality. Next, coronavirus has upended the U.S. food system. It was always a delicate balance of demand from consumers at grocery stores and restaurants, and the supply chain from famers and food processors, but illnesses, shutdowns, and stay-at-home orders changed everything. Farmers had crops spoil without any buyers, meat processors closed due to outbreaks, distributors lost 60%-90% of their business volume, and food banks who relied on grocery stores and restaurants are struggling as the need has surged. Kevin Rector, reporter at the LA Times, joins us for the chaotic food system. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Coronavirus has upended the U.S. food system. It was always a delicate balance of demand from consumers at grocery stores and restaurants, and the supply chain from famers and food processors, but illnesses, shutdowns, and stay-at-home orders changed everything. Farmers had crops spoil without any buyers, meat processors closed due to outbreaks, distributors lost 60%-90% of their business volume, and food banks who relied on grocery stores and restaurants are struggling as the need has surged. Kevin Rector, reporter at the LA Times, joins us for the chaotic food system. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

We're talking to Kevin Rector and Talia Richman from the Baltimore Sun about their investigative work on police accountability in Baltimore over the past year, and how they use Public Information Act requests in their reporting. Their work is part of the Sun's reporting package, which has been nominated for MDDC's prestigious James S. Keat FOIA Award. The Keat FOIA award honors a body of work reported primarily through open records. The Keat award, among many others, will presented at MDDC's annual conference in May in Annapolis, Maryland.

For the second time in 10 years, and for the second time in the history of the city, a Baltimore mayor has pleaded guilty to criminal behavior while in office. Welcome to this special edition of Midday. Tom Hall spends the hour talking with reporters and legal experts about the guilty plea of former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh. Yesterday, she was charged with 11 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy, and tax evasion. She appeared in federal court a couple of hours ago, and pleaded guilty to 4 of those charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and two counts of tax evasion.Two of her close aids, Gary Brown and Roslyn Wedington, have also pleaded guilty to related charges.Tom begins today's analysis of the Pugh indictment with WYPR’s Emily Sullivan, who was at the Federal Court House earlier this afternoon. We're joined next by The Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater, who first broke the story of Pugh's Healthy Holly book scheme, and then by fellow Sun reporter Kevin Rector, who's also done extensive reporting on the scandal. We get additional reaction to the Pugh indictment from City Councilman Bill Henry and from two legal experts: defense attorney William Purpura and former federal prosecutor Robert Rohrbaugh, the man who prosecuted former Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon.

Today on Midday, a conversation about a labor dispute that affects the future of local journalism; in particular, the Baltimore Sun.Let’s keep in mind just how important the Sun is to our community. In terms of this radio show, it’s the first place we check every morning to keep up to date with what’s going on in and around Baltimore, and throughout the state of Maryland. Midday, like many other radio and TV broadcast outlets, relies on reporters at the Sun for breaking stories, and for providing context to issues that Sun reporters know better than anyone else. Last night, the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, which represents reporters, photographers and others at the paper, voted to approve an offer for a contract extension from Tribune Publishing, the parent company of The Sun. We are joined today by three Sun reporters who have been part of the Guild's negotiating team during the recent bargaining sessions, and can speak to the issues at stake in the negotiations:Scott Dance writes about the environment and the weather. He's been with The Sun since 2012.Liz Bowie, who covers education for The Sun, has been a reporter at the paper for more than 30 years. She has also covered the environment, business, and state government.Kevin Rector is an investigative reporter with a focus on criminal justice. Kevin joined the staff of The Sun in the 2012.

On April 27, 2015, the day of Freddie Gray’s funeral in Baltimore, police and youth clashed near the Mondawmin metro stop in a skirmish that would thrust the city into the international spotlight. For four years, police, youth and others there that day has shared their version of events, leaving unanswered questions. Who, in reality, initiated the confrontation? And who was responsible for shutting down the transit service that day, a decision that left many high school students stranded in the center of the clashes?Baltimore Sun reporter Kevin Rector has sought to review surveillance footage from that day to paint a clearer picture. The Maryland Transit Administration continues to deny that request. But for the first time, the MTA has released records related to the April 2015 unrest that provide new insights, and revive old questions, about one of the most controversial and consequential moments in Baltimore’s history. Rector sits down with Roughly Speaking host Pamela Wood to discuss the findings and provide insight into a four-year-long hunt for surveillance video that he and many others believe they are entitled to view.

Once again, Baltimore is rocked by a scandal at the highest level of government. Mayor Catherine Pugh has begun an indefinite leave of absence, citing the need to recover from pneumonia, amid calls for her to resign permanently from officials in Baltimore and in Annapolis. New revelations about business dealings with the University of Maryland Medical System, Kaiser Permanente, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maryland and the Associated Black Charities have raised new questions about Pugh's conflicts of interest. Governor Larry Hogan has asked the State Prosecutor to launch a formal investigation.Tom is joined by three guests to help unpack the future of Baltimore: City Councilman Leon Pinkett, former Maryland Deputy Attorney General Thiru Vignarajah and Kevin Rector of The Baltimore Sun.

In the ninth episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Dr. Mileah Kromer talk about the House of Delegates' censure of Harford County Del. Mary Ann Lisanti after she apologized for using a racist slur. They also check in on important bills moving through the General Assembly, including two that affect the future of horse-racing in Maryland. The show's guest is Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford, who talks about how the GOP needs to move beyond the ----hardcore right.---- Sun reporters Pamela Wood and Kevin Rector provide insight and analysis.----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.Related links:Maryland delegate says she won't resign after House censures her for 'racist and hateful slur'https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-lisanti-censure-20190228-story.htmlAs Pimlico faded, its owners were pouring money into their Laurel track. Was anyone watching?https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/horse-racing/bs-md-pimlico-accountability-20190226-story.htmlMedically assisted suicide bill moves forward in Maryland General Assemblyhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-death-bill-vote-20190301-story.htmlLong at home behind the scenes, Boyd Rutherford takes on new roleshttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-boyd-rutherford-succession-20150622-story.html

Baltimore Sun reporter Kevin Rector spent some time this past summer taking a deep look at the proposal to build a multibillion-dollar, magnetic levitation train (or Maglev) system along the Northeast Corridor of the United States, starting with a track between Washington and Baltimore. Kevin’s reporting on Maglev took him to Japan, and he spent a lot of time speaking with those in the Baltimore-Washington region who want to replicate Japan’s 311-mph Maglev system here. Dan interviewed Kevin on a busy platform at Penn Station in Baltimore to hear what he learned about high-speed train travel that could get passengers from Baltimore to Washington in 15 minutes.

1:04: John Fritze, the Sun's Washington correspondent, talks about the new Congress and the battles ahead, plus the roles of Maryland's two Democratic senators, Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, are expected to play in Trump administration confirmation hearings next week.12:52: Kevin Rector, crime and criminal justice reporter for The Sun, provides perspective to the disturbing statement, by the police union leader, that Baltimore does not have enough cops on patrol to protect its citizenry. The warning came just after the city closed out another deadly year of violence, with homicides over 300 in both 2015 and 2016.21:23: Luke Broadwater, City Hall reporter, talks about Baltimore's new mayor, Catherine Pugh, and her first big challenge — getting crime under control as the city and the U.S. Justice Department work toward a consent decree on police reforms. Plus, what's up with the city's new water-billing system and those crazy, $80,000 bills some homeowners received?

Sun reporters Kevin Rector and Justin Fenton review the state's case against Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., the Baltimore police van driver accused in the death of Freddie Gray last April. Goodson was the driver of the van in which Gray suffered a fatal spinal cord injury. Rector and Fenton review the prosecution, Goodson's defense and the questions Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry G. Williams had for both sides during Monday's closing arguments. Preview the episode at http://bsun.md/28O4F4B.

In this podcast:2:05: On the day after the latest verdict in the trials of Baltimore police officers accused in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray, Sun reporters Justin Fenton and Kevin Rector talk about the acquittal of Officer Caesar Goodson, who faced the most serious charges of the six original defendants. With one hung jury and now two not-guilty verdicts, will Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby drop the lesser charges against the remaining four defendants? 26:10: The New York Times called Michael Denzel Smith "the intellectual in Air Jordans." A contributing writer to The Nation and cable commentator, Smith writes about coming of age in the time of Barack Obama, LeBron James, Trayvon Martin and the Black Lives Matter movement. His new memoir, "Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching: A Young Black Man’s Education," reflects on being young and black in a country that, eight years after electing the first African-American president, has Donald Trump as a choice for a successor.(courtroom sketch by Wm Hennessy/CourtroomArt.com)

Dr. Leana Wen joins us for this month’s edition of Healthwatch. With an extended Code Red heat alert in effect for the Baltimore region, what precautions must we take to stay safe in 100-degree temperatures? The Zika virus . What have we learned as we watch the Greater Miami area struggle to contain this sometime fatal disease? And as opioid overdoses continue to spike, how is the city responding to help addicts find treatment? And how can the rest of us prepare to lend life-saving assistance when we encounter someone who's overdosing on heroin, fentanyl or other dangerous opioids ? The Health Commissioner talks about efforts to put the overdose antidote drug, Nalaxone , into more people's hands. Then, unconstitutional conduct by the Baltimore Police Department: Commissioner Kevin Davis responds to the scathing Department of Justice report , Kevin Rector of the Baltimore Sun puts it in context, and Lynh Bui of the Washington Post describes how the Prince George’s County Police