KPCC: Stories by Larry Mantle

Prison hunger strike over, prison official says

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 08:12:58 -0700

A woman in prison garb leads protesters in chants of solidarity with prisoners on a hunger strike outside a state government building in Downtown Los Angeles on Monday morning. Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC

The head of the state corrections department said Thursday that a three-week hunger strike by hundreds of California inmates has come to an end, although a group that has been suppporting the prisoners said they couldn't confirm that.

Representatives of the ACLU and other activists will give statements on the strike Friday morning at 10 a.m.

On Thursday, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) told KPCC that inmates at Pelican Bay State Prison were eating.

"What I can confirm now is that we have individuals at Pelican Bay state Prison who have begun accepting meals," CDCR spokeswoman Terry Thornton told KPCC's Larry Mantle. In response to a question, Thornton clarified "Most of them are accepting food – not all."

Thornton said prisoners had accepted food last night and this morning, but added that inmates at several other prisons were still refusing to eat. "We're really in a state of monitoring right now," she said.

The federal receiver who oversees medical care in California state prisons, Nancy Kincaid, said her agency will continue monitoring the prisoners who were taking part in the hunger strike.

"We will continue our role in medical to monitor those who have not eaten and have some signs of physical effects of starvation," said Kincaid.

Kincaid said she's spoken with the head of Pelican Bay State Prison, who has told her more prisoners are eating, though not at their regular levels.

"I did speak with the CEO of healthcare at Pelican Bay a few minutes ago," Kincaid told KPCC's Larry Mantle, "who did confirm that the prisoners there are no longer on hunger strike and are accepting food."

Kincaid said officials will be monitoring prisoners' insulin, potassium and sodium magnesium levels as they reintroduce solid foods into former hunger strikers' diets.

At the height of the strike, Kincaid said 6,500 prisoners were refusing food at 13 prisons. As of Wednesday night, 775 were still being monitored.

More than 400 inmates in California prisons have refused food to protest what they call “inhumane” conditions in isolation units at Pelican Bay State Prison. Prisoners at Pelican Bay are among the state's most dangerous, and spend 23 hours a day in a cell, with one hour in a windowless concrete exercise yard. Prison reform advocates have called CDCR policy at Pelican Bay tantamount to 'torture', a charge CDCR vehemently denies.

"Our existing gang management policies, security policies have been refined through litigation through the decades," Thornton said. She added that some prisoner demands were already being addressed as a matter of CDCR strategy, including relieving prisoner overcrowding, reducing reliance on lockdowns, and assessing existing gang member policies.

The hunger strikes have taken place at Pelican Bay State Prison, Calipatria, Corcoran, and the California Correctional Institute, among others.

“Hunger strikes are a dangerous and ineffective way for prisoners to attempt to negotiate,” prisons secretary Matthew Cate wrote in a press release. “We will now seek to stabilize operations for all inmates and continue our work to improve the safety and security of our prison system statewide.”

Democrat Janice Hahn wins 36th District US House race

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:47:28 -0700

Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn. Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Democrat Janice Hahn has defeated Republican Craig Huey in a bitter contest for a Southern California House seat. Her victory preserves her party's hold on the district as she survives an unusually tough race in the longtime Democratic stronghold. Hahn spoke Wednesday morning with KPCC's AirTalk.

With all districts reporting, Hahn, a Los Angeles city councilwoman, had 41,585 votes, or about 55 percent, to 34,636, or about 45 percent, for Huey. Huey owns marketing and advertising companies and largely bankrolled his campaign with nearly $900,000 in personal funds.

With a light turnout and widespread voter anxiety over the economy, Republicans were hoping for an upset that would send a message heading toward the 2012 national elections, in which President Barack Obama will seek a second term.

The race presented a stark choice. Huey, 61, is a conservative who wanted to slash spending, taxes and debt and roll back government regulation; Hahn, 59, a Los Angeles city councilwoman, is a fixture in local Democratic politics who wants to see the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the growth of alternative energy.

Hahn's victory was far from impressive, given an 18-point Democratic registration edge in the 36th Congressional District, which runs from the famous Venice boardwalk through the beach communities south of Los Angeles International Airport.

This morning on KPCC's AirTalk, Hahn defended her win, telling host Larry Mantle that Democrats' registration advantage only really works in a presidential election and that it shrinks in other elections, particularly a special election with low turnout.

The result was obviously disappointing for Huey, but campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Jacobs said the campaign was pleased that the race was well within the 18-point registration edge because "there's a sizable amount of people who broke with registration to vote for jobs and the economy in America."

KPCC's political reporter Frank Stoltze said later that many were viewing Hahn's 10-point win as "something of a victory for Republicans."

Hahn credited the Tea Party as being largely responsible for Republican Craig Huey's victory. "The Tea Party came in mass," canvassing districts, said Hahn.

Hahn takes office in the midst of contentious negotiations over the debt ceiling between President Obama and congressional Democrats on one side and congressional Republicans on the other.

"I don't think I have the luxury of laying back and getting the lay of the land," Hahn said. She added that her district's been unrepresented since Democratic Rep. Jane Harman resigned, and "I need to represent this district and get in there." Harman resigned earlier this year to head a Washington think tank.

Hahn said that she thinks the district she represents want her to get a handle on the national deficit and the national debt, but "We don't have to give up Social Security and Medicare to raise the debt ceiling." She said that framing the debate in such a way provides a "false choice."

Hahn said that she thinks there's $4 trillion that could be cut – the same number President Obama has been arguing for.

When asked if she was willing to compromise with Republicans, the democrat said, "The future of this country is at stake, and if compromises have to be made, I certainly will follow the lead of the president."

"Americans want us to get together, find common ground, and have some common sense solutions," said Hahn. "They want to see some compromises, they want to see people working together."

The election came just one day after her 86-year-old mother died. "It came at a really rough time for me," Hahn said. She abruptly suspended her schedule to join her grieving family, but staffers said it would not change the campaign's long-set plans to get voters to the polls. Hahn said he knows her mom would want her to "soldier on."

Hahn plans to bury her mother Saturday before traveling to Washington next week. She says she's spoken with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's office and that she'll be sworn into office Tuesday if it's approved by Republican Speaker John Boehner.

Hahn appeared on AirTalk last week for the only debate of the district 36 race. Hahn talked about what she called a "contentious" race with Huey. "People either wanted to continue on a path in this country of protecting the wealthy, or they wanted to make a clear choice with someone like me."

Each campaign had pooled over $1 million and plowed much of it into sharp-edged advertising: Hahn had sought to link Huey to Sarah Palin and referred to his agenda as "extremist," while Huey derided Hahn as a career politician with ties to a troubled gang-intervention program.

Bill Clinton recorded automated phone messages for Hahn. Organizing for America, the group that provides Democratic Party's foot-soldiers, asked supporters to make thousands of phone calls.

Hahn said that she would continue pushing for an investigation by the Federal Election Commission into allegations that Huey supporters tried to discourage Hahn supporters by telling them the election had been postponed a day. Huey supporters also allegedly set up fake polling places. Huey's campaign manager said they had nothing to do with that.

"We've asked the FEC for an investigation, and I think we continue with that," said Hahn. "If someone's done something wrong, they need to be held accountable for that."

Hahn's victory opens a seat on the 15th city council district, which stretches from Watts down to San Pedro. The head of the Firefighters' Union Pat McOsker has already said he'll run for that seat, and several other have expressed interest, including assemblyman Warren Furutani and former city councilman Rudy Svorinich.

Audio: KPCC's Frank Stoltze speaks with KPCC's Steve Julian on Janice Hahn's 36th Congressional District win.

This story incorporates information from the Associated Press.

Imam recognizes opportunity to heal rifts among Americans

Tue, 03 May 2011 15:08:44 -0700

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, executive director of the Cordoba Initiative, speaks at the Council on Foreign Relations. Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

The man who plans to build a mosque near the former site of New York’s World Trade Center senses a rare, opportune occasion of unity within the United States.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf called the news of Osama bin Laden’s death a spur to the greatest sense of shared national purpose since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks — and he hopes Americans will seize the moment.

“We need a healing between America and the world of Islam, both domestically and internationally,” he said Tuesday speaking with KPCC’s Larry Mantle. “This is why around the world you’ll hear sighs of relief of his demise because people want a better relationship.”

Rauf is scheduled to speak at UCLA’s Royce Hall at 8 p.m. Wednesday. He said it may take five years before his organization breaks ground on the mosque and cultural center in Lower Manhattan.

In spite of bin Laden’s death, expert still concerned over al-Qaida Central in Pakistan

Tue, 03 May 2011 14:59:17 -0700

Pakistan on Tuesday criticized the American raid that killed Osama bin Laden as an "unauthorized unilateral action" and warned Washington not to launch similar operations in the future.

Haider Mullick, a policy analyst on US-Pakistan relations, said he fears retaliation for bin Laden’s death from al-Qaida Central in Pakistan.

“That’s where they have attacked Pakistani security forces. They have killed thousands of Pakistanis regardless of their sects, Sunni or Shia; where they have build these alliances for years,” Mullick said. “They’ve always had a contingency plan for the leader dying. It’s a very adaptable organization that wants Pakistani nuclear weapon technology.”

Mullick, author of “Pakistan's Security Paradox,” predicted more Jihadist activity if pro-democracy protests fail to achieve their objectives in the Middle East. He spoke with KPCC’s Larry Mantle.

Santa Ana’s gentrification sparks debate

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:22:15 -0700

AirTalk's March 28, 2011, debate on downtown Santa Ana's proposed development projects at the Libreria Martinez. Credit: Karen X. Fritsche/KPCC

The Santa Ana City Council has proposed multiple projects to upgrade housing and bring new business activity to the area. But some vocal groups oppose redevelopment. They argue that the changes will push out family-owned businesses and negatively transform the character of downtown Santa Ana.

As with all such undertakings, various interests and issues come into play:

Will the refurbishing of downtown Santa Ana improve or hurt the quality of life and well-being of residents there?
Would such development push out the local independent businesses which are primarily Latino?
Should the needs of one corridor of the city be put before the needs of the entire city?

On March 28, AirTalk went "on the road" to Libreria Martinez in Santa Ana to debate the pros and cons of that city’s revitalization process.

On one side is the all-Latino City Council. They are pushing for redevelopment and feel it would bring in much-needed revenue.

“All we're doing here is trying to create opportunities for everyone,” said Carlos Bustamante, a Santa Ana Councilman, adding he wants to see a “rebirth of the city.”

Bustamante said there is a big decline in shopping in the area because of the recession. He also attributes the drop to changing consumer habits as shoppers seek out bigger businesses such as Kohl's and Wal-Mart, he said.

Some residents and business owners fear that new development would push out “mom and pop” stores and dilute downtown Santa Ana's proud Latino heritage.

If new development is going to come to downtown Santa Ana, residents and business owners want guarantees outlined in a Community Benefits Agreement that a development deal would come with good jobs for local workers, a business development plan for existing businesses, the creation of parks and open space, affordable housing, and historic and cultural preservation.

“If they're going to do everything that they say they are going to do, what is the problem in signing something that guarantees the community a right to respond — if and when these things are not done?” said Carolina Sarmiento, board member of El Centro Cultural de Mexico, a local community organization.

For more, listen to the whole debate on AirTalk's page which includes a link to bonus Web audio with audience questions and comments from the Santa Ana Event.

OC grand jury investigates protest at UC Irvine of Israeli diplomat's speech

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:30:40 -0800

Screen capture from OC Register video of event attendees at UC Irvine presentation by Michael Oren. Credit: OC Register

KPCC has learned that the Orange County grand jury is investigating the Feb. 2010 disruption of an Israeli diplomat's speech at UC Irvine.

Members of UCI's Muslim Student Union have been called to testify before the grand jury about the organization's role in the disruption of a speech by Michael Oren, Israel's Ambassador to the U.S.

Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC Irvine's law school, says he does not believe the students who disrupted Oren's speech should face the risk of criminal charges.

The Orange County District Attorney's office says the law prevents it from confirming or denying any activities related to the grand jury.

Villaraigosa on Los Angeles's budget, potential layoffs

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 05:48:17 -0800

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa speaks at the launch of the unaffiliated political organization known as No Labels December 13, 2010 at Columbia University in New York City. Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The Los Angeles City Council, heading into the Martin Luther King holiday weekend, voted to cut $18 million. That's a dent in the $63 million deficit for this year, but there's still a ways to go, as well as a projected $360 million deficit for the coming fiscal year. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke with KPCC's Larry Mantle Tuesday about the budget, layoffs and more, providing a state of the city for 2011.

"They did the right thing in making the cuts," says Villaraigosa. The City Council voted to lease city-owned parking garages to private operators, which Villaraigosa says will generate $53 million. He defended leasing the parking garages, saying that it was not a "core business" for the city.

"We still have a lot of tough decisions to make in the days ahead." What's going to be cut? "Well, virtually everything we do," says Villaraigosa.

"Public safety has to be our absolute priority. Every department will be cut, but, you know, some departments will be cut more." Departments that Villaraigosa specifically listed include street services, parks and recreation and libraries.

"Last year, we cut 400 people, laid off; 400 was the most in our city's recent history." More than several previous mayors combined, according to Villaraigosa.

Despite concessions from labor unions, Villaraigosa still expects more layoffs in the coming year as the city faces a $360 million projected deficit. "A $360 million hole is just too big to fill."

Villaraigosa wants to see more concessions from labor. They've already agreed to concessions in retiree health and co-pays, but the mayor says more needs to be done to bridge the city's deficit.

One proposal is a two-tier pension system, where new hires would receive lower level pensions than those already in unions. "On the ballot will be a new tier pension structure for fire and police. The Council is moving hopefully ahead to approve a package that will also include civilian employees." Villaraigosa says he's asking the City Council to do that as soon as possible.

The proposal on the table will, according to Villaraigosa, provide $255 million in savings for every thousand new employees hired. The retirement age is also up for debate in various proposals. Another proposal, according to Villaraigosa, would generate around $300 million per 1,000 employees hired.

Employees who've received raises have to take 26 furlough days, while others have 16 furlough days.

"I expect that layoffs will be a part of any budget solution," says Villaraigosa. "These aren't decisions that we make lightly. They certainly aren't ones that I feel good about. But we have to get our financial house in order." He said pensions and the pay structure for employees have to be sustainable.

The city may take another hit from the state, as Governor Jerry Brown's budget proposal does away with funding for redevelopment agencies.

"There's no way we're going to allow the state to take away these dollars in a time of economic crisis when we need them to create jobs," says Villaraigosa.

Villaraigosa has called it a non-starter, but he holds out hope it will be reversed. "It's a non-starter if you want to take all of our redevelopment money, if you want to take away the state enterprise tax credit. These are two tools we've used to create jobs in Los Angeles." Villaraigosa says 4,000 jobs have been created in the past year due to the state enterprise tax credit, while the number created by redevelopment may be significantly higher than that.

"We're willing to work with him, we're willing to share the responsibility," says Villaraigosa, but he says the state can't completely shift these costs to local governments.

Villaraigosa says that the difference between the city and the state and federal governments is that the city doesn't have the same ways to deal with their debt obligations. The federal government can print money during a fiscal crisis, and a state government can shift costs to local governments, but Los Angeles doesn't have either of these options.

Villaraigosa arrived in Washington, D.C. today to meet with federal officials. He said Tuesday he doesn't expect to get federal dollars to help Los Angeles, but he's been negotiating with the White House about cuts being made on the federal level.

"We understand there's going to be some cuts. What we would find unacceptable is you would completely eliminate those programs, and the White House is working with us." Villaraigosa says he wants to negotiate with the state as well. "We're hoping that Sacramento will work with us in the way the White House is working with us right now to negotiate these cuts."

Dr. John Deasy was recently selected as the new LAUSD superintendent. Villaraigosa commented on his selection by the City Council. "The one thing that sets him apart is he has an urgency of now that I think is really what motivates him and pushes him. He recognizes that reform must be transformational. He is going to be very aggressive in efforts to institute a number of changes, including how we evaluate our teachers – student growth over time and teacher effectiveness."

Villaraigosa says he thinks Deasy will partner with both schools and labor unions.

Villaraigosa also trumpeted a recent environmental victory – the L.A. Department of Water and Power reaching the goal of 20 percent renewable energy by 2010. "You wouldn't know it because you haven't read about it anywhere, except that people are talking about it all around the country and around the world."

"This was a huge feat. I mean, we started out at about 4 percent renewables," says Villaraigosa "And it's been with a bureaucracy that's fought us all along the way." Villaraigosa says he wants to set a goal of 33 percent by 2020, as well as getting the city off of coal power to change LADWP from the "dirtiest public utility to one of the cleanest."

Amidst all the doom and gloom, Villaraigosa did see another bright spot – the sunny, warm weather. "There aren't a whole lot of cities that can enjoy weather like this in the dead of winter."

Scientists, surfers pursue rogue waves

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 13:41:43 -0700

Noah Johnson rides a wave during the first round of the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Competition big wave surfing contest on Dec. 8, 2009 in Waimea, Hawaii. Thousands of spectators and surfers flocked to Hawaii's beaches to see some of the largest waves in the state in half a decade. Forecasters predicted waves could reach heights of 50 feet. Credit: Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

Catch a wave and you’re sitting on top of the world, the Beach Boys sang.

It sounds so harmless, but for centuries sailors have told tales of giant waves, 100 feet high or more, coming seemingly from nowhere and swallowing ships.

Scientists have been skeptical, but in the past few decades, a startling number of ships have reportedly been destroyed by these "rogue waves."

Larry Mantle talked with Susan Casey about her new book “The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean,” which interweaves extreme sport with science and maritime history.

“As far back as all nautical lore you can find stories of the hole in the ocean or the Three Sisters. These waves, freaks that came out of nowhere,” said Casey, who also serves as editor-in-chief of Oprah’s O magazine.

“If you talk to any sailor, they will have a rogue wave story."

These terrifying waves aren’t what you see crashing off the coast, but are two to four times as high as the sea around them. It wasn’t until 1995 when an 85-foot wave hit an oil platform, said Casey, that scientists started to accept that even in non-stormy weather, 100-foot waves could form in 35-foot seas.

“When you get steep seas, you’re farther away from equilibrium and you can get a wave that sort of pirates the energy of the waves around it and can build itself up by stealing this energy into, what I write in the book, as a teetering monster. And it’s very unstable. It’s a wave that could have a number of different breaking parts on it,” explained Casey. “Its not your typical beautiful rolling wave. It’s really a mutant.”

Predicting these waves is no easy task, even with knowing the kinds of currents and water temperatures that can cause monster waves. There are places, such as the southeast coast of Africa and the North Sea in winter, that rogue waves are known to appear, said Casey.

“But there are also conditions under which they form that can’t really be explained,” she said. “They might form in a place where you wouldn’t be expecting them.”

Scientists, notes Casey, are working on fine-tuning their predictions using light physics, because the wave is behaving more like a particle than a typical swell.

It’s not just scientists tracking massive waves, though. There is also small tribe of extreme surfers who double as amateur meteorologists in search of what Casey calls the “magenta blob,” a distinctive color on a weather map that surfers track in hopes of conquering the holy grail of their sport: a 100 foot or taller rogue wave.

One of the best known of these thrillseekers is legendary surfer Laird Hamilton, who’s at the center of Casey’s book. Hamilton pioneered jet skiing into these mammoth offshore swells.

In what Casey calls an expensive global scavenger hunt, Hamilton and his friends are more than surfers. What they do, she said, is incredibly precise and dangerous – injuries range from split lips to torn wetsuits, dislocated shoulders, broken bones and even death.

“These guys are to surfers what astronauts are to pilots,” said Casey. “They’re really doing something very different. I don’t even know if you even call it a sport. You might call it an expedition. Or a feat of some kind.”

Parsing the fallout from Bell management resignations

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:01:23 -0700

The Bell city manager, assistant city manager and police chief resigned from their jobs Thursday night after a public outcry over their high salaries. Now Bell residents can help regulate city officials' salaries by revoking the city charter on November ballots.

Cal State Fullerton political scientist Raphe Sonenshein said that if the people of Bell vote to revoke the city’s charter, general law provisions would limit elected officials’ salaries.

“Usually the abuses in a charter city, of a small city, will be in contracting and areas like that and the state has lots of authority to go in and look at contracts," said Sonenshein. "Are they being given out fairly? Are they being given out with competitive bidding? Et cetera. It’s always worrisome to have the state take away charter authority from cities. That would be an extreme last resort but they should be investigating when there is illegal activity.”

Sonenshein said the Bell officials’ salaries are out of line with the furloughs and pay cuts other local governments have imposed on their employees. Citizens of Bell may vote to revoke the city charter in the November elections.

Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo will step down at the end of August, Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia at the end of September and police Chief Randy Adams at the end of August after completing an evaluation of the police department. They are not expected to receive severance packages.

Rizzo earns nearly $800,000 a year, Adams earns $457,000 annually and
Spaccia makes $376,288 a year, Bell city reports say.

Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez says the resignation of these three officials will begin a new era in the city.

"Today, our City Council took the quick and decisive action that is in the best interest of our city so that we may return our attention to delivering outstanding city services,'' Hernandez said in a statement.

The decision was announced around midnight after the City Council met for about six hours in closed session.

Rizzo will step down at the end of August, Spaccia at the end of September and Adams at the end of August after completing an evaluation of the police department. They are not expected to receive severance packages.

"Definitely letting go of these three top officials is the first step we need to fix the city,'' Cristina Garcia, a member of BASTA, the Bell Association to Stop the Abuse, told The Times.

The group is still seeking the immediate resignations of four of the five council members -- Hernandez and council members Luis Artiga, Teresa Jacobo and George Mirabal, Garcia said.

Each of the four make about $100,000 a year, thanks to payments from being members of other bodies, whose meetings are held simultaneously with the council meetings.

"The only condition in which we will cease to demand their resignation is if each of the above-mentioned council members agree to adjust their salaries to be on par with the salary of council member Lorenzo Velez,'' Garcia said.

Velez, who has been on the council since October 2009, has stated that he is paid about $310 every two weeks as a result of his council job.

BASTA also wants a freeze on pension packages for Rizzo, Spaccia and Adams until an independent audit and investigation into city and police department expenditures can be conducted.

Adams' resignation was called "a strong first step in cleaning up the mess in Bell,'' by Gilbert Jara, president of the Bell Police Officers Association, the union representing the department's rank-and-file officers, "but more needs to be done.''

"We still need to make sure Adams doesn't walk away with a sweetheart pension deal,'' Jara said. "The need for more officers to patrol Bell is too great to waste any more taxpayer money.''

Jara also praised Attorney General Jerry Brown's investigation into the salaries paid to top Bell city officials.

"We are glad our efforts to expand the scope of the investigations into public corruption in the city of Bell have been fruitful,'' Jara said. "We will support Attorney General Brown's efforts in any way we can.''

Hernandez defended the salary paid to Rizzo, and again praised the work he had done for the city. He also offered an apology to Bell residents.

"We recognize that today's economic climate and the financial hardships so many families are suffering put our past compensation decisions in a new light,'' Hernandez said. "To the residents of Bell, we apologize. We are confident that your pride in our great city endures and that the city's financial health and superior public services demonstrate that our priorities remain intact.''

Roger Mudd remembers Daniel Schorr

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:46:56 -0700

Journalist Daniel Schorr talks about his book 'Staying Tuned: A Life in Journalism' May 6, 2001 on 'Meet the Press' during a taping at the NBC studios in Washington, DC. Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Daniel Schorr’s friend and broadcast colleague, Roger Mudd, told KPCC’s Larry Mantle that Schorr's work on the Watergate Scandal was the pride of the CBS Washington bureau.

NPR’s senior news analyst, veteran journalist Daniel Schorr, died today at age 93. His reporting during Watergate and the Cold War won many awards, including thee Emmys.

Mudd highlighted Schorr's tenacity as the characteristic he revered most.

“He was a bulldog, I’ll tell you. Tenacious, once he got his teeth into a story, he really never, never let go. He was not a matinee idol. His words tended to tumble, there were traces of his Bronx accent still with him. He was a reporter the likes of which the Washington bureau, where I worked with him, the likes of which we never had. He was indefatigable. He once told me, ‘They may not like me, but they’ll like the stories I’ll tell.’ ”

In 1971, Schorr discovered his name on President Nixon’s “enemies list” as he read it on the air. Mudd said his friend never endeared himself to people in power because he believed journalist were responsible for making public officials accountable for their deeds.

Comic-Con alights in Southern California for its 40th year

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:22:53 -0700

The giant pop culture convention Comic-Con International opens to the public Thursday in San Diego.

(Audio of KPCC's Alex Cohen interviewing Josh Flanagan, co-editor of iFanboy.com.)

Comic-Con spokesman David Glazner says that since it began in 1970 the event has expanded beyond comic books to include video games, animation, and especially movies.

"I didn’t start coming to the show as a fan of comics, I started coming as a fan of movies. And I discovered comics here and I thought, you know, along with the board, you know what, we really need to advertise to a wider audience. And I think that’s really developed into people realizing that, you know, there’s something in comics for everybody. And that’s certainly been embraced by Hollywood now."

Glazner told KPCC’s Larry Mantle that passes to this year’s Comic-Con sold out nearly a year ago. That made some fans unhappy – and gave rise to scalping at what Glazner called exorbitant prices.

Angry responses to Bell salaries

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:50:49 -0700

People in the city of Bell are responding to a recent Los Angeles Times article that reported their city manager makes nearly almost $800,000 a year and the chief of police receives double the LAPD Chief‘s pay.

Denisse Rodarte belongs to a citizens group that formed in response to the news about salaries. She told KPCC’s Larry Mantle that after the Times published its article, close to 500 people attended the next Bell city council meeting.

“Everyone was outraged. I think no one really had a clue of how much these people were making in city hall and when they found out, they were like ‘this is what our tax money is going to?’ You know we have a really working-class community in Bell and some people work two jobs to pay the taxes in the city. So when they heard what was going on, they showed up, we all showed up in full force and we let them know that we don’t approve of what they’re doing to our city.”

Council members in the small city claim they didn’t know about the inflated salaries. The council’s responsible for supervising the city manager and approving city officials’ income. The part-time members make about $100,000 a year.

Experts disagree on the safety of sunscreen

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:57:14 -0700

Days like this one tempt just about everyone to spend time in the sun. But experts disagree about the safety of sunscreen products.

Scientist Michael Hansen of Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, told KPCC’s Larry Mantle that sunscreen users can’t always rely upon the label for accurate information.

“In general, some of that information, as it just refers to UVB rays, for example, is accurate. But there is a lot of other information on the label that’s not particularly accurate because the sunscreen protection factors – the SPF value – those only help against UVA. So you have to actually make sure that a product protects against both.”

Hansen and other sunscreen critics aren’t just worried about the products’ effectiveness. U.S. Senator Charles Schumer of New York recently urged the federal Food and Drug Administration to study potential links between a common sunscreen ingredient – retinyl palmitate – and cancer.

Oil company may be making progress on capping Gulf of Mexico spill

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:15:15 -0700

Oil company BP is in the process of installing a new containment cap at the source of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill Monday.

BP spokesman John Curry told KPCC’s Larry Mantle that once it’s installed, the company will gradually close the well to see whether the new cap can withstand the pressure.

"It allows us to test the integrity of the well by – we’ll shut it in, we’ll test the pressure of the well and the integrity of the well, and you know, if the integrity is sound, then we can leave it shut in until we ultimately kill the well with the relief wells. And of course if the integrity is not what we hope it to be, then we can open it up and ramp up our containment options."

Oil has flowed unrestricted since the company removed an unsuccessful cap on Saturday.

BP will try to begin using an oil production vessel that’s recovering some oil from the spill.

Effects of proposed California marijuana measure debatable

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:57:58 -0700

DALY CITY, CA - APRIL 18: Leaves of a mature marijuana plant are seen in a display at The International Cannabis and Hemp Expo April 18, 2010 at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California. The two day Cannabis and Hemp Expo features speakers, retailers selling medical marijuana smoking paraphernalia and a special tent available for medical marijuana card holders to smoke their medicine. Voters in California will consider a measure on the November general election ballot that could make the State the first in the nation to legalize the growing of a limited amount of marijuana for private use. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

California voters will decide this November whether the state should legalize the growth and sale of marijuana, with profits going to help local municipalities balance their budgets. Supporters say the proposition would allow for better regulation of the drug, while opponents say it would increase usage.

Larry Mantle talked to experts from both sides during a panel at KPCC’s Crawford Family Forum.

There are plenty of unresolved debates about the effects of marijuana, as well as the industry around its already-legal use for medicinal purposes. But, more fundamentally, panelists disagreed on how the issue of drug legalization should be framed.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, a strong opponent of the measure, said that it didn’t provide for adequate regulation. His main objection, though, was a philosophical one.

“It’s like releasing an oil spill in your own brain,” he said. “It may not catch you at the initial point, but if you just keep on pouring into your system, you’re taking away the spiritual divinity of your brain, and you’re essentially establishing that you don’t value the truth that your brain is your most precious resource. Keep it as healthy as you can... it’s a theological and moral point.”

John Russo, Oakland’s city attorney, said he personally agreed with Baca, but supports the measure on practical grounds.

“That’s a very deep question that goes to the values of the society,” he said of drug addiction. “I’m looking at this, putting aside my personal views, in a very pragmatic way, which is, you’re looking at a failed policy. What we have done doesn’t work, any more than prohibition of alcohol worked in the ‘20s.”

Jim Gray, a retired Superior Court of Orange County judge, agreed. Marijuana is California’s largest cash crop, he said, and jails are full of prisoners convicted on charges of possession of marijuana.

“Let’s understand, then, that it’s here to stay,” he said. “Let’s stop moralizing about it and start managing the issue.”

Both sides also disagreed on whether legalization would help or hurt public health. Baca said that while he supported medical marijuana, he worried that further relaxing restrictions would increase marijuana consumption.

“I deal with the consequences of addictive behavior – that’s really what I’m against,” he said. “The cost of the addiction, even if it’s legal, are going to be more traffic accidents, more people who will become unbalanced mentally.”

Pointing to Portugal, which decriminalized marijuana usage, Russo said he thought the new law would encourage addicts to seek help.

“It’s a medical issue. It’s a health care issue,” he said. "Bring people closer to medical professionals that can help them, instead of, like we do, make them criminals and push them farther away. It works in Portugal. It will work here too.”

Mark Kleiman, a professor of public policy and the director of the Drug Policy Analysis Program at UCLA, said that while Portugal and other countries, including the Netherlands, have allowed usage, California would be the first place to make the growth of marijuana legal. He said the vote is simply a choice between the lesser of two evils.

“I literally don’t know how I’m going to vote on the initiative,” he said. “We’ve got two appalling alternatives. We can wake up the day after Election Day, discovering that the voters even of California have decided to listen to the drug warriors one more time, and support the current drug war situation. That would be appalling. Or we could discover that the voters of California have, for the third time running, voted for a completely nonsense initiative, put together by the drug legalization movement, and that would be disgraceful.”

He called the measure a "nonsense initiative," he said, because if it were passed, California law would still conflict with federal law banning marijuana use and consumption. Anyone who paid a tax on it would be confessing to a federal felony, he said.

Gray said he didn’t think Washington would crack down on the law.

“The Obama administration has acknowledged one of the strong philosophical planks of our Constitution, namely the concept of federalism,” he said. “And I have no doubt that he is going to, once we pass this, maybe say it was silly, maybe we were duped, but he’s going to let us do it, and then it’s going to work. He will not challenge the voters of California – that’s a red herring.”

With months before the election, the proposition’s outlook is still hazy. But a poll taken in May by USC and the L.A. Times showed Californians reasonably positive on the measure, with 49 percent of registered voters supporting it, 41 percent opposed, and 10 percent still uncertain.

Prop 17 - increased auto insurance competition or hidden surcharges?

Wed, 26 May 2010 05:00:00 -0700

It’s not the most scintillating measure on the June 8 ballot, but Proposition 17 is about something many Californians consider fundamental: auto insurance. The proposition would allow insurance companies to offer the same discount they give to customers who’ve stuck with them awhile to new customers who switch from another insurer.

Under current state law, drivers who’ve maintained insurance with the same company for a while are eligible for a continuous coverage — or “persistency” — discount. But when the customer wants to change companies, the new insurer can’t offer that discount. Proponents of Prop 17 say the measure would fix that.

"This flaw really punishes the 82 percent of responsible drivers who maintain auto insurance," Mike D'Arelli, the Executive Director of the Alliance of Insurance Agents & Brokers recently told Larry Mantle on AirTalk. He says that current law restricts customers from shopping around.

"We love Prop 17 because it’s gonna allow us to really face companies off against each other and increase competition, leading to lower rates," D'Arelli says.

Insurance companies and business groups also love Prop 17. Television ads in support of the measure say it could save drivers up to $250 a year on insurance.

But opponents of the ballot measure say somebody’s going to pay to offset those discounts, and it’ll be the consumers who’ve dropped their auto insurance — even good drivers who’ve done so for good reasons. They argue that Prop 17 would allow insurance companies to raise premiums as much as a $1,000 a year on those customers.

"Think about it, when was the last time an insurance company spent $10 million to put a proposition on the ballot to save you money? The answer is — it hasn’t happened," says Harvey Rosenfield, who founded Consumer Watchdog. Along with other consumer advocacy groups, it opposes Prop 17.

The insurance company Rosenfield’s talking about is Mercury Insurance, Prop 17’s primary backer. Rosenfield points out that the California Department of Insurance found the company in violation of its rules because it imposed surcharges on consumers.

He says Prop 17 is just Mercury’s campaign to make those surcharges legal. So, Rosenfield says, people who’ve dropped their auto insurance — to serve in the military or go to school out of state, to save money or because of illness — should beware.

"All of these people would be surcharged under Proposition 17. Their premiums would go up. It would be unaffordable for even more people, which in turn would lead to even more uninsured motorists on the road.," says Rosenfield.

The proposition establishes a 90-day grace period for lapsed customers to be reinstated with the continuous coverage discount. Its proponents say it mandates that insurers consider military personnel serving abroad as “continuously covered.”

If Prop 17 passes, it’s sure to shake up a California industry in which companies collected nearly $19.7 billion in auto insurance premiums in 2008.

California Senate Democrats propose budget plan

Tue, 25 May 2010 10:54:09 -0700

File photo: California State Sen. Denise Ducheny (D-San Diego) reacts to Republican efforts to hold up the vote on a solution to the state's budget problem on the evening of July 23, 2009 in Sacramento. Credit: Max Whittaker/Getty Images

California Senate Democrats responded to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's May Revise on Monday, proposing $4.9 billion in new taxes to close the state's $19.1 billion budget shortfall. Over $2 billion in added revenue would come from delaying corporate tax breaks, while $1.4 billion would come from changes to personal income taxes.

State Senator Denise Ducheny told KPCC's "AirTalk" that this proposal is because Republicans and the governor "have reneged on the rest of the deal," referring to proposed cuts to health and human services and education. Ducheny said that the Senate Democrats' plan would maintain current levels of taxes and services, while allowing no further tax breaks.

"Revenues are not going to be part of the solution," said H.D. Palmer, deputy director of external affairs for Governor Schwarzenegger at the California Department of Finance. Palmer said that California was coming off a huge tax increase and beginning to see the early signs of economic recovery. "The governor doesn't want to stomp on that emerging economic recovery," said Palmer, and added that the governor feels tax increases would do that.

"This feels pretty familiar," said the Los Angeles Times' Sacramento Bureau Chief Evan Halper on "AirTalk." "You've got to wonder how serious they are," said Halper, noting that the Democrats are proposing large tax increases that they may not be able to get their own caucus to support if it went to the floor. When asked whether they had the votes to pass their plan, Ducheny said, "We aren't taking a poll of individual members yet."

Ducheny emphasized the importance of maintaining certain programs, as cuts would threaten $5 billion in federal funding. She said their plan would allow the sales tax to be reduced by 1 percent next year, but substitute out the governor's new tax on insurance. "Let's just stick with what we know," said Ducheny. Ducheny said that Senate Democrats want to maintain the status quo on taxes and spending.

Halper saw this as potentially being a starting point for negotiation. "The governor's proposed all kinds of really draconian cuts, opponents would call them," said Halper. The governor calls this process "budget kabuki," Halper noted, where both sides ultimately "get serious" in the summer to work out a real deal. "The governor created this mess and refuses to take responsibility for it," said Ducheny.

Assembly Democrats come out with their plans later today or this week. Ducheny said she expects the Senate and the House plans to go to conference committee next week.

LAUSD to review, and maybe deny, thousands of student transfers

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:03:24 -0700

A student on his way to school walks past a Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) school, in Los Angeles, California on February 13, 2009. Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Unified School District is changing a long-standing policy that allowed 12,000 L.A. students attend schools outside the district.

The move could save the district $51 million, but it’s also angered L.A. parents who say they have good reason to put their children in other school districts.

L.A. Unified Assistant Superintendent Rene Gonzalez said L.A. Unified’s new policy isn’t hard-and-fast.

"We recognize that there are some situations in which parents have enrolled their children in unique or specialized programs that we don’t offer currently in the district," said Gonzalez.

"And we are going to take a look at those and where it seems appropriate, we will also grant those permits."

Parents who work for other school districts will get transfer permits, said Gonzalez.

But Gonzalez, who spoke with KPCC’s Larry Mantle, said parents can go to the L.A. County Department of Education and appeal a transfer denial.

"When they receive a notice from us that we are not approving the permit, they can go onto the LACOE Web site and download the appeal application," said Gonzalez.

He said the Los Angeles County Board of Education will review those appeals.

8th annual 'Film Week' Oscars preview tapes at the Egyptian

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:33:35 -0800

Egyptian Theater Credit: KPCC

Last Sunday, February 28th, about 400 “Film Week” listeners attended our yearly Academy Award preview. Not only was the turnout a thrill, but the back-and-forth between our critics was particularly spirited. The show airs Friday at 10:30 a.m. on KPCC.

Though I have a great time hosting our in-studio “Film Week,” it’s even more fun to see our critics and audience members respond to each other at the Oscar show.

This year was particularly lively, as James Cameron’s “Avatar” polarized. Critic Henry Sheehan was a strong defender of the movie, and he had plenty of support in the audience. Sharply disagreeing was critic Charles Solomon. His blistering ridicule of “Avatar” also hit home, triggering guffaws.

Katherine Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” was universally acclaimed by our critics, all of whom are members of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA). LAFCA was the first critics’ organization to choose “The Hurt Locker” as Best Film.

Probably my favorite part of each year’s show comes from our critics championing the movies and performances that they thought were overlooked. This year was no exception, even with the Academy expanding the number of Best Picture nominees to ten.

We look forward to next year’s “Film Week” On the Road at the Egyptian and hope to see you there. Our critics put great care and passion into “Film Week,” and I know that your support of their work means a lot to them. As always, it’s a real treat to see listeners like you at our programs throughout the Southland.

AJ Jacobs bases book on series of life experiments

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Writer AJ Jacobs practices what you might call “immersion journalism” – he lives a concept in order to write about it. In his latest book, “The Guinea Pig Diaries,” Jacobs writes about outsourcing daily tasks, like arguing with his wife, to India.

He also spent several weeks attempting to follow the theory of a Virginia psychologist – that we should always speak what’s on our minds and never lie. That got him into trouble, Jacobs told KPCC’s Larry Mantle.

“My wife and I went into a restaurant and we ran into some old friends of hers from college, and they said, ‘Oh, we should all get together. Have a date.’

"And I had to say what was on my mind, which was, ‘No thanks. You seem very nice, but I have no interest in ever seeing you again.’ And they were, shockingly enough, they were offended. My wife wanted to strangle me.”

For a previous book, Jacobs spent a year living his life according to the dictates of the Bible.