In California, A Family’s Struggle for Recovery

Coming up on today’s show: 

• In California, mudslides have blanketed the coast and killed at least 17 people. We hear from a father who, along with his son and dog, had to be rescued, and a school superintendent who is trying to keep the community informed. Ben Hyatt, a Montecito resident, and Anthony Ranii, superintendent for the Montecito Union School District, weigh in. 

• The Trump Administration announced Thursday that states could impose a work requirement on many Americans who rely on Medicaid. It’s the first time in the plan’s history that people would have to work to be eligible to keep their Medicaid coverage. Mary Harris, managing editor at WNYC’s health desk, has the details. 

• Every Friday, Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday and The Takeaway, drops by to review the new releases hitting the box office. This week, Rafer weighs in on the action movie “The Commuter,” starring Liam Neeson, and the animated children’s film “Paddington 2.”

• The International Consumer Electronics Show concludes Friday in Las Vegas. Tech companies from around the world are showcasing new products and designs at the trade show. We look at some of worst gadgets and innovations to emerge from the show this year with Taylor Lorenz, tech reporter for The Daily Beast.

• Walmart announced Thursday that it will be doling out raises, bonuses, and new benefits to many of its 1.4 million U.S. employees. But the same day, the company also announced it would lay off thousands of workers after closing 63 Sam’s Club stores. Here to talk about what these developments mean for the future of retail work is Charles Fishman,author of “The Walmart Effect: How the World’s Most Powerful Company Really Works.”

• Last week, author Jacqueline Woodson was named by the Library of Congress as the next National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. As ambassador, she’ll be traveling across the country and talking to kids about ways that reading can drive change. We talk to her about what she envisions doing during her time in the role, and some of the books that she thinks younger readers can learn from.

This episode is hosted by Todd Zwillich