Alexis Tande, co-founder of "The Whip SB," joins the panel this week to talk about how the social media start-up is working to boost the community's IQ about local politics and policy - and already attracting pols seeking new ways to connect with voters.
In a special Thursday edition of "Newsmakers TV,," Tande described the new platform as an effort to make what is happening at City Hall, the Board of Supervisors, school districts, judge's chambers and elsewhere in local government more accessible, relevant and understandable to the public, providing data, background and timely interviews, among other content, to help explain things like what the city Administrator does, how to get on the agenda of a meeting or how judges are elected - while boosting participation by ordinary folks.
Jade Martinez Pogue returns with all the latest on the pandemic, as the dread Delta variant is putting pressure on local hospitals and health facilities, with hospitalizations for Covid still increasing, and also recounts the drama at this week's supes meeting, as anti-vaxxers flooded the zone to complain about a proposed vaccine mandate for county workers -- and several members pushed back hard,.
Josh Molina reports on the drip-drip-drip of daily Covid cases and positive tests being discovered among teachers and students in the SB Unified School District, as well as the ongoing controversy over the lack of a distance learning program for those families who don't want to send their kids back to classrooms.
Then it's a quick look at this week's winners and losers in the city campaigns for mayor and city council, and a preview of the forum for all six mayoral candidates that Josh and Jerry are co-moderating Friday, which will be posted on Newsmakers and "SB Talks" -- another start-up! - over the weekend.
It's all here, right now - check out the show via YouTube below or by clicking through on this link. The podcast version is here.