UCLA in the News lists selected mentions of UCLA in the world’s news media. Some articles may require registration or a subscription. See more UCLA in the News.
Fentanyl plus stimulants drives ‘fourth wave’ of overdose crisis | NPR News
Since 2010, overdoses involving both stimulants and fentanyl have increased 50-fold, and now account for 32% of U.S. overdoses in 2021 and nearly 35,000 deaths, according to a study published Thursday in the scientific journal Addiction. “We’re now seeing that the use of fentanyl together with stimulants is rapidly becoming the dominant force in the U.S. overdose crisis,” says Joseph Friedman, the lead author of the study and a researcher at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. (UCLA’s Chelsea Shover was also quoted. Also: ABC News, NBC News, HealthDay News, Medical Xpress and Scienmag.)
UCLA studying efforts to ban critical race theory from schools | KABC-TV
Critical race theory is increasingly at the center of heated debates, although it’s been around for decades. The CRT Forward Tracking Project at UCLA’s School of Law has been gathering data on the efforts to ban it at different levels of government, including public schools. “I knew that if I was going to go to law school, I really wanted to go to a program that emphasized racial justice,” said Nicole Powell, a law student and Los Angeles native. Powell is part of UCLA School of Law’s Critical Race Studies program and she’s a research assistant tracking anti-CRT measures across the country. (UCLA’s Taifha Alexander was also quoted.)
UCLA plans to examine health impacts of Aliso leak | Los Angeles Daily News
Nearly eight years after the disastrous Aliso Canyon gas leak sprung up in the hills above Porter Ranch, sending thousands of families fleeing, a team of UCLA researchers has announced details of a planned study into the effects of the leak on the health of residents near the underground natural gas storage facility owned by SoCalGas. (UCLA’s Michael Jerrett was quoted.)
Field of candidates challenging Gascón expands to 7 | KABC-TV
“I think Gascón has left open a huge lane in the center to challenge him and he has shown real weakness both as an administrator and politically in terms of the polling I’ve seen. Internal polling shows him at sub-Villanueva levels of approval. That’s a really bad starting point for a re-elect, so I think he’s very vulnerable for sure,” said Jim Newton, a UCLA Lecturer and the editor of UCLA’s Blueprint Magazine.
Election experts warn democracy ‘under great stress’ | The Hill
Elections experts warn that two decades of hyperpartisan politics and close elections have put American democracy under “great stress” that boiled over during the last presidential election. Concerns of electoral legitimacy exploded after the 2020 election when former President Trump made false claims against the integrity of the election system and attempted to overturn the presidential results, according to research from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). (UCLA’s Richard Hasen was cited.)
How Biden can avoid a collapse in the youth vote | Politico
(Commentary by UCLA’s Victor Shi) Given that young voters will account for the largest age demographic in 2024 and were crucial to his 2020 victory, Biden and the broader Democratic Party should be worried about any potential drop-off in youth support. If young people don’t turn out — in large numbers — to vote for Biden in 2024, he’s doomed.
Experts say Aaron Rodgers’ injury likely isn’t career-ending | Yahoo Sports
“I’m optimistic that he can be the same type of athlete he was before,” said orthopedic surgeon David McAllister, the UCLA athletic department’s head team physician. “He’s going to have to go through a rough year of a lot of rehabilitation, but if he’s still as motivated and driven as he’s always been, then I think it’s likely he can return at a very high level.”
L.A. speaks Spanish, as the LéaLA is about to remind us | Los Angeles Times
Luis Gustavo Padilla Montes, a University of Guadalajara professor and top administrator, said that L.A.’s “biculturalism and multiculturalism” makes it an attractive partner for forging additional links with Guadalajara’s institutions. He pointed to an existing collaboration between UCLA and the University of Guadalajara on programs in Spanish and Portuguese literature.
California moves one step closer to five paid sick days | Los Angeles Times
More than 2.7 million Californians lost their jobs during the pandemic-fueled recession and some businesses never recovered. But the state’s strict public health measures protected the economy overall, lowering virus rates and allowing faster reopening, according to UCLA economists.
