KPCC: Stories by Brian Watt

LA Superior Court employees protest cuts

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:06:52 -0700

More than a hundred employees of the Los Angeles Superior Court system marched in downtown Los Angeles to protest the layoffs of more than 300 of their colleagues.

Los Angeles Superior Court announces layoffs and courtroom closures

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:07:34 -0700

The Los Angeles Superior Court system announced today that it's laying off more than 300 employees and closing 17 courtrooms. It's the system's latest attempt to deal with a budget crisis.

Angels Flight resumes in downtown LA after 9-year break

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:08:18 -0700

Some of downtown Los Angeles' history got back on track Monday morning after a 9-year break. The Angels Flight funicular is shuttling passengers up and down Bunker Hill again.

Salvation Army organizes an assembly-line relief effort for Haiti

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:19:03 -0700

The Salvation Army and the global hunger nonprofit Numana have organized a two-day effort to pack a million meals for the people of Haiti.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation continues push for condom use in porn

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:00:05 -0700

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation has filed an appeal in its quest to require condom use on adult film sets.
The Foundation filed a lawsuit last July against the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Writers Guild head warns Senate that Comcast-NBC merger would stifle independent programming

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:57:20 -0700

The Senate Commerce Committee convened a hearing today in Washington on the proposed merger of Comcast and NBC Universal. KPCC’s Brian Watt says the head of the Writers Guild urged caution about the pending $30 billion deal.

US Education Department launches review of LAUSD’s English Language Learner programs

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 -0700

The federal Education Department has launched a compliance review of LA Unified School District’s programs for students whose first language is not English. The Department’s office of Civil Rights wants to determine if the District is denying those students equal access to education opportunities.

Covina jobs summit for potential employers

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:32:08 -0700

A Los Angeles County agency hosted a jobs summit Tuesday at a hotel in Covina. The meeting wasn’t for job seekers, but for businesses and non-profits that would gladly hire new workers … if they could only afford to pay them.

Evergreen Cemetery in Boyle Heights memorializes remains found during Metro construction

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:00:00 -0700

Almost five years ago, Los Angeles County Metro construction crews were excavating to widen First Street in Boyle Heights to build the Gold Line Extension. They discovered human remains and more than 150 unmarked graves near Evergreen Cemetery. On Monday, Metro and government officials unveiled a memorial wall in the cemetery to honor the dead whose remains were found.

Inventors pitch products to the Infomercial King

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:27:09 -0700

The Windshield Wonder, the PedEgg, and the GoDuster are just a few of the products A. J. Khubani has marketed into household brands with relentless TV ads. Khubani is the chief executive of Telebrands and known as the "infomercial king." The king held court Wednesday in Los Angeles as more than 30 inventors from across the country pitched their concepts and creations.

New Metrolink rail cars designed to protect riders from impact of crashes

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:13:39 -0700

Metrolink invited reporters to a show and tell Tuesday at the Port of Long Beach. Officials with the commuter rail service displayed new rail cars designed to increase rider safety, and described what other precautions they plan to put in place.

Metrolink to add first 2 rail cars of a safer fleet

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:50:06 -0700

Metrolink plans to welcome two new rail cars to the Southland on Tuesday. They’re the first of a new fleet of supposedly safer train cars that Metrolink ordered a few years ago.

Deadline for Oscar ballots is Tuesday afternoon

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:39:10 -0700

Voting members of the Motion Picture Academy must turn in their Oscar ballots by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Arts hold promise as jobs engine in California economy

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:00:00 -0700

California lost thousands of manufacturing jobs when the economy soured in the early 1990s. The recession has drained away thousands of construction jobs. What the state could use is a new source of well-paying jobs — and it might have found it in the arts. The Joint Legislative Committee on the Arts held a hearing last week in Culver City to find ways to help the arts heal the ailing economy.

Executive director of Napa State Hospital arrested on charges of sexual molestation

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:08:42 -0700

Police arrested the executive director of the Napa State Hospital Wednesday on charges of sexual molestation. Prosecutors allege that 62-year-old Claude Foulk sexually molested a foster child who lived with him in Long Beach.

'Captain EO' returns to Disneyland Tuesday

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:23:17 -0700

A fantasia from the 1980s, "Captain EO," is returning to Disneyland as an homage to its late star. Michael Jackson’s special effects-laden starring role hits the Magic Kingdom’s screen again on Tuesday.

Negrohead Mountain now Ballard Mountain in honor of African-American pioneer

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:00:22 -0700

For decades, a peak in the Santa Monica Mountains was known as “Negrohead Mountain.” At a private ceremony on Saturday, federal and Los Angeles County officials will formally dedicate a new name for the peak: Ballard Mountain.

Schwarzenegger highlights benefits of 1-year-old federal stimulus package

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:50:43 -0700

California received more money from the federal stimulus package than any other state. On its first anniversary today, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger emphasized the benefits of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Yorba Linda family's drag racing dynasty gears up for 50th Winternationals

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0700

The National Hot Rod Association kicks off the drag racing year Thursday with the 50th Winternationals in Pomona. In the Funny Car division, there’s a family dynasty. John Force Racing has won 16 championships in the last 20 seasons.

Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray is charged in pop star's death

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:33:27 -0700

Michael Jackson's personal physician was charged with involuntary manslaughter today in connection with the pop superstar's death from an overdose of a powerful prescription sedative. Dr. Conrad Murray, 56, pleaded not guilty to the felony charge at a brief arraignment hearing this afternoon at the Airport Branch Courthouse.