The new law, SB1070, calls on police to check the documentation of anyone they think is an illegal immigrant. It is a policy protestors say will lead to targeted assault on the large Hispanic community in Arizona.

A few protestors even handcuffed themselves and sat in a center of the group while people took turns expressing their views.

But not all at the event oppose the law. Listen as one male student debates with a group of protestors.

One protestor takes offense to something said we cannot repeat on air and it doesnt end well.

Its just one emotional scene in the many that have erupted since the law was singed law week. And perhaps a sign of even more to come as some in congress begin to push for immigration reform this year.

Chris Foy, Annenberg Radio News.

It requires all law enforcement officers to stop anyone suspected of being in the country illegally, he says. It allows law enforcement to make arrests without a warrant. I add my voice in strongly opposing this unpatriotic and un-American law.

The mayor says he is calling for a boycott that could take away more than seven million dollars from Arizona.

Other California leaders have made similar statements. State senate president pro tem Darrell Steinberg is also calling for the state to boycott. San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom is trying to cut all ties to Arizona.

They are hoping the boycott will be as successful as previous ones in the 1980s and 1990s. Back then, Arizonas refusal to recognize Martin Luther King Day cost it millions of dollars and the Superbowl. The state eventually gave in.

City councilman Jose Huizar says the new Arizona law had unintentionally united advocates for immigration reform.

We have to thank Arizona in some respect although we disagree with what he proposed, he says. Because if you see the people behind us here, they are more motivated than ever before to continue the work they have been doing for years to bring comprehensive education reform to a finality.

Both he and the mayor are urging the federal government to craft a new immigration policy.

The task of protecting neglected and at risk children in L-A County is a difficult one. In recent months, the County Department of Child and Family Services has decided to change its strategy-working on protecting the children.

Social workers are often faced with difficult choices. Removing the child and placing the child in a foster family or keep the child with their biological family and helping them find economic assistance or in some cases, rehab.

Margaret Prescott of “Give Us Back Our Children” said the focus should be on keeping families together.

“Studies have shown that most children are far better off at home with their families then in foster care with strangers,” Prescott said.

There have been recent cases of children who have been kept with their families and died from parent abuse. This has led DFCS to focus on protecting children rather than reuniting families.
The issue of child safety doesn’t just center around physical harm.  Sometimes, children are taken because of the conditions they live in.

“As a child, I remember being hungry,” said one grandmother, “I don’t think any child should be hungry.  But when my grandmother who was a domestic worker in New York City traveled to Barbados with the plan to bring me to a better way of life, where at least I could get three meals a day, I first of all asked is my mother going, Mummy going?  No.  It’s a kind of terror that happens.”

A grandmother, “Sabreme” is raising her 11 month year old grandchild. She thinks the welfare system is flawed.

“A disabled mother, forcing to raise eight children on welfare and the traumatic effects it had on me and my children,” she said."It is my opinion that the welfare system is broken.”

USC School of Social work students shared documentaries demonstrating the pressing need to provide economic assistance to homeless families so they can stay together. The group, “Give Us Back Our Children,” is going to keep fighting so that the county changes their policy.

If you live in Arizona, you could get stopped by a police officer for more than just a traffic violation. Arizona Senate Bill 1070, “The Support our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhood Act,” requires law enforcement to inquire Arizona residents about their immigration status.

“What this law says is that Arizonians are very upset about what’s going on in their economy,” said Jorge Cabrera from the Council for Human Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles. “They’re very upset about the lack of action on the side of the government to fix our immigration. They really have gone to the extremes.”

Arizona has almost 500,000 undocumented immigrants. Ira Melhmann from the Federation for American Immigration Reform says the bill is a good way for Arizona to protect its citizens.

“You don’t have to throw endless amounts of law enforcement resources at the problem what you have to do is enforce the law strategically and rationally,” Melhmann said. “When the Highway Patrol wants to enforce the speed limit they don’t pull over every speeder. They put enough patrol cars out there, they catch a few people and .everybody gets the message and they take their foot off the gas.”

Under the bill police can charge anyone who they “reasonably suspect” to be an undocumented immigrant with a misdemeanor.

Jorge Cabrera thinks the proposed law is discriminatory. “I believe that this will lead to racial profiling and a never list of never ending lawsuits that private citizens will file against our government,” he said.

Melhmann disagreed. “That’s absolutely a mischaracterization of what SB 1070 does,” he said, “What SB 1070 says is that if a police officer in the normal course of his duties pulls somebody over for some sort of infraction--
running a red light, running a stop sign. During the course of carrying out those duties, reasonable suspicion that that individual is violating federal immigration laws, he many not simply turn a blind eye. That police officer then has to act on that. It has nothing to do with profiling. It has to do with reasonable suspicion, which is what police officers do every single day.”

If a similar bill was signed into law in California, it would have a tremendous impact on the state. The largest population of the country’s 12 million undocumented immigrants live in California. Melhmann thinks California is hurt financially by helping undocumented immigrants.

“Even as the city and county are going broke, they have made it clear if you show up,” he said, “With your Mexican matricular card you will have access to all benefits and services that the city and county have to offer. The LAPD has special order 40 which says they are .not to look into immigration status even if they pick somebody up for some other offense.”

California passed Proposition 187 in the 1990’s. It would have prohibited undocumented immigrants from accessing public services. It was ruled unconstitutional. Despite their differing opinions on immigration, both Mehlmann and Cabrera think legalization is the solution.

“There is no intention for us to keep people undocumented,” Cabrera said, “on the contrary, we want people to go through the legal system not around the legal system. That’s why we argue that our laws are broken and unjust. and they need to be fixed and they need to be practical.”

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer is set to sign the bill in the next few days.

Karen Marcus, Annenberg Radio News

President Obama was interrupted at a fundraiser for California’s Senator Barbara Boxer.

“She is, we, we are going to do that, hey hold on, hold on a second,” President Obama said.

He was interrupted by Protesters shouting slogans to repeal the controversial military policy, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Since 1993, thousands have been thrown out of the army for admitting they are gay or lesbian.

“What the young man was asking is that we need to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, which I agree with,” Obama responded to GETEQUAL member Dan Fotou.”

Zoe Nicholson, the 3rd protester, shouted “Mr. President it’s time to repeal ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.’”

“I’m sorry, do you want to come up here?” President Obama responded.

Nicholson says why her organization GETEQUAL was there.

“While Obama was campaigning for President he made several really important promises, that brought him to be a champion of the LGBT world,” she said.

Nicholson added that President Obama could use his executive powers to repeal the policy, today, In the Defense Authorization Bill.

“It is the end of the 111th congress,” Nicholson said, “They are about to recess for the summer, they come together in the fall for a very short period. The President today could sign an executive order with a pen, I would be happy to buy it for him.”

After receiving criticism for her outburst, she defended her actions

“Rudeness is practically our currency,” she said.

GETEQUAL continues its campaign. GetEqual activist Lieutenant Dan Choi and five other former soldiers were arrested, for handcuffing themselves to the Whitehouse gates.

Dan Choi, wearing his army uniform, could face prison for his latest protest. His spokeman, Joel Sileman, said all he wished for was to rejoin his unit and serve his country.

Ken Van der Meeren, Annenberg Radio News

“They don’t need to raise up the prices,” said Bus Riders Union member Vicki, who declined to give her last name. “It’s already hard for people, people already don’t have enough money for the buses. People are struggling.”

She and other riders assembled with representatives from CALPIRG, Transportation for American and other organizations that believe the MTA’s actions cannot stand. The proposed fare raises range from a $.25 increase in the one-way pass from $1.25 to $1.50, to raising monthly passes from $62 to $75. Service cuts are looming as well.

“I can’t afford 75 dollars a month for a bus pass,” said Crystal McMillan, a member of the Bus Riders’ Union. “62 was pushing it, 75 isn’t gonna make it any easier.”

The MTA faces an operating deficit of about $180 million according to spokesman Dave Sotero. He said the fare increases will go toward bridging that gap, and he stressed LA’s fares are already cheaper than a number of major cities across the country.

“It’s important to realize that our customers pay only 28% of the cost to operate our service,” he said. “That’s extremely low compared with other transit properties across the country.”

The Bus Riders Union and its organization called on the MTA to hold a public forum to discuss the proposed fare increases. The Union also urged Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein to support a bill that would allow state and local governments to invest in transit and use federal funds for operating costs.

Multiple union members said the proposed fare increases will make it extremely difficult- if not impossible -for them to ride the bus. They hope the bill will allow the MTA to keep fares at the current levels, and keep them on the bus.

The Catholic church is facing yet another legal attack for its role in covering up sexual abuse.  On Tuesday April 20, a legal group that represents sexual abuse victims filed a lawsuit accusing Cardinal Roger Mahoney and Mexican Cardinal Noberto Rivera of aiding and abetting systematic sexual abuse.  The lawsuit stems from a scandal involving a fugitive Mexican priest. 

Father Nicolas Aguilar Rivera is wanted on charges of raping at least 26 Los Angeles boys and an unknown number of Mexican children during his years as a priest.  Cardinal Mahoney was unaware of the priest’s pedophilia when he came to Los Angeles.  But the victim’s lawyers say Aguilar Rivera told the diocese of his intention to flee the country after he was charged for sex crimes.  Once in Mexico, he continued to abuse children and remains at large today.

Timothy Beck Werth has more.

Ora Mobely-Sweeting pulled a rope at the corner of 43rd Place and Central Avenue to unveil a plaque honoring her son.  Ezekiel Mobley Jr. who died in June 2006 was a respected community leader. Councilwoman Jan Perry said he dedicated his life to connecting African American and Central and South American communities.

He saw beyond culture and color lines lifting up the curtain and showing all of us that we are all people united by commonalities. I felt his life and commitment to unity should be memorialized here on our historic Central Avenue, a place steeped in history and a place that embodies our diversity and our desire to be a unified community.

Mobley was well educated, graduating from Georgetown University Law Center and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He served as a member of various economic development groups. He learned Spanish and joined the Latin American cultural union. He was also the first African American to have a syndicated television show completely in Spanish.

Mobley suffered a stroke 10 years ago. He was only 53 years old when he passed away. His sister Candida Mobley said his kindness, humility and genuine love for the community belied his accomplishments and credentials. She says the memorial is a fitting tribute to him.

God will be the one to tell us its over, and its not over until God says its over. And or Ezekiel, because of this, it will never ever ever be over.

The intersection at 43rd Place and Central Avenue will now also be known as Ezekiel Mobley Jr Square. Amina Karam, Annenberg Radio News.

(ACT-Maria)
It’s going to affect the young ones and we have to work and they’re not going to be in school so where are we going to leave them? That’s going to be extra money that we have to pay because we need somebody to take care of them.

(TRACK)
Maria has a 4th grader at the 32nd Street School in South LA. She doesn’t think this is the end of LAUSD cuts.

(ACT- Maria)
Cortines told us it’s not going to get better, it’s going to get worse. So we are already expecting the worst.

(TRACK)
So far, the teacher’s union has agreed to 5 furlough days this upcoming school year and 7 days for the year following.

It might be a nuisance for parents to have to find another week’s worth of accommodations for their kids, but like many parents Linda feels that it’s also compromising her child’s education.

(ACT- Linda)
All the students are going to be affected. They have to change the whole program that they had already planned for the school and the students.

(TRACK)
School officials agree. Chet Hood is the 32 street school’s Title One Coordinator. Title One is a part of US education policy that focuses on helping economically disadvantaged students-- the group often hit the hardest by district changes.

(ACT- Chet Hood)
Its going to take a week of instruction off plain and simple.

(TRACK)
Most kids would love having one less week of tests and homework, but not all.

(ACT- Chet Hood)
Kids are kids. You have some that are just happy that they are going to get an extra week of summer vacation and you have some of the older students that are really concerned.

(TRACK)
But facing a budget crisis, LAUSD says the cuts have to come from somewhere. According to the district, this could save nearly 1.5 million dollars and 2,000 LAUSD jobs.

(ACT- Chet Hood)
That’s a big plus side that some jobs are being saved, but I think California’s got some restructuring to do in priorities.

(TRACK)
Priorities that the state, the school district, and now parents--- with an extra week to care for their kids--- may have to revise.

Tracy Oppenheimer, Annenberg Radio News.]

Ive taken my high blood pressure and BMI, Renee continued.  Im glad I did it because Im well informed, gotta drink more water, count my calories, do all that good stuff.

Dozens of public health services gathered at the Civic Center to spread awareness about issues like physical activity, dental care, and smoking.  Around 25% of LA residents suffer from obesity, which is above the national average.  The program hopes to reduce this statistic, through demonstrations of healthy cooking and free samples of fresh foods.

We need to have events like this because theyre encouraging people to think about things that they dont have time to think about all the time, said Jonathan Fielding, the director of public health for Los Angeles County.  We are stimulating people to think differently and think outside the box.  Theres a lot of positive energy and excitement.

The fair offered self defense demonstrations geared towards womens safety, nicotine gum and patches, and free H1N1 flu shots. 

Jessica St. John directed a booth for the Los Angeles County Office of Womens Health.  She had a steady stream of people having their blood pressure tested all day.

Everybody here at the public health fair is wanting to let people know that there are services available that they access to prevent diseases, St. John explained.  The more information that they have, the more powerful they are in taking charge of their own health.

Los Angeles resident Denise Hawkins took the opportunity to learn more about healthy eating from the demonstrations at Health Fest.

They can make everyone aware of more healthy environments, eating living and taking care of yourself.  Thats what we need to do nowadays, Hawkins said.  Everything is getting so polluted and everythings so synthetic.  We need to learn how to do this.

Fielding said he was excited about the large turnout at Health Fest. 

Public health is everywhere. Its the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat, its all around, he asserted.  We need everyones help to make progress.

And while public health awareness may not change the air Angelenos breathe, Fielding hopes the fair can at least change the food people put in their mouths, more Roman tomatoes and less junk. 

Tens of thousands of students drop out of the LAUSD every year.  But the nearly 200 girls gathered today in the Millennium Biltmore Hotel have a different plan.  All of them want to go to college.

MOSTE (Motivating Our Students Through Experience), a grassroots mentoring organization, wants to help them get there. The group matches underprivileged seventh and eighth grade girls with mentors, and helps them prepare for high school, college and careers.

Mentee Amairani Gonzalez says she now wants to go to Princeton or USC.

MOSTE is a really good program, and they help you go to college, she says. You get scholarships, and it leads you on your way through college to become someone really important.

For students who have never thought about attending college, touring campuses can open new possibilities.  For mentor Michelle Owens, it was eye-opening in another way.

You know, I took it for granted that as you are finishing high school, you apply to colleges, you go on campus visits, she says. I now realize what a limited perspective that is. For a large percentage of todays middle school and high school population, not going to college can seem like the only option.

MOSTEs office administrator, Monique Watts, says she wishes she had had a similar program to guide her along.

There was nothing like this that I was aware of growing up, and so I just had to wing it, she says. I didnt have anybody to mentor me along.

All the seniors in the program this year are graduating and going to college.

Ariel Edwards-Levy, Annenberg Radio News.

Gomez comes to Los Angeles after spending five years in San Antonio, where he led the archdiocese. He said he will miss the city, but he was excited to lead the Los Angeles archdiocese.
He and Mahony addressed dozens of members of the media from across the country, speaking in both English and Spanish. The outgoing Cardinal said he understood the importance of the announcement.
“This is an epic moment in the life of the Church of the United States,” Mahony said.
He also said it reflected a commitment by the Catholic Church to its Hispanic members.

“This is a recognition by our Holy Father that the Spanish-speaking Catholic community in the United States is a highest priority,” he said.

Gomez will officially assume his post in 2011, when Mahony turns 75. He admitted, however, that has much to learn about Los Angeles. But Mahony said he would spend the next few months helping the incoming Archbishop to acclimate to Los Angeles. 

The situation at today’s meeting was put best by Councilman Bill Rosendahl when he said, “I feel like the wild, wild west right now.”

Today’s meeting was absolutely wild as the city council and DWP went back and forth all morning as to whether the DWP has the money to give to the city. 

The council was counting on the excess money from the DWP to be put into the city’s general fund.  However, that was shut down pretty quickly.  “We can’t transfer money on the basis of having a surplus when we are running a deficit,” said DWP Interim General Manager, David Friedman.

Friedman made his case by saying the rates customers pay need to increase in order for the DWP to have any sort of excess money.  This point was met by criticism.  “Transfer, schmanzfer.  The transfer is bogus,” said Councilman Richard Alarcon. 

The feeling of deceit was felt by the whole city council.  “Something fishy is going on here…you could come to us and say we can only do 43.  I don’t believe that, but that would be logical.  But, to say you can’t do anything now because we are at 30 less defies logic,” said City Council President Eric Garcetti. 

Friedman continued to insist DWP has nothing to give to the city, so it seems like this game of chicken is going to continue at least until next week’s meeting. 

Councilwoman Jan Perry commended the efforts

“Your 5.2 million dollar bridge, or I’ll rather call it a survival fund, could not have come at a better time, I’m deeply deeply grateful.”

The Supportive Housing Recovery Initiative will provide affordable housing and support services to vulnerable and mentally ill adults. The aim is to help the chronically homeless live stable lives.

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation donated 4 million dollars. Senior Program officer Bill Pitkins says supportive housing is a cost effective solution to homelessness.

“Supportive service, if they have mental health issues, or they have substance abuse issues, or other health issues they are getting those services because they will need them often to be stable or remain in that housing. It’s much cheaper to do it that way actually then to have them on the streets and using the emergency room.”

The donation is a short-term solution to fill the funding gap. Access to credit markets, and the poor economy are blamed for projects stalling. The Director of Corporation for Supportive Housing Ruth Teagues, explains why a similar project, Skid Row Housing Trust, succeeded.

“Its just luck, the Skid Row developers were justlucky effort to have gotten some major projects in the ground and completed before lighting struck.”

The initiative will provide a mix of grants, low-interest loans and technical assistance to housing developers experiencing project delays.

Ken Van der Meeren, Annenberg Radio News .

“The first place that I ever performed at was at the comedy store on Sunset and I sucked big time,” Garnier said. “It was the worst experience of my life. I got literally booed off the stage. But, I remember two or three people laughing and that kind of what stuck with me, and I just ran with it.”
As a black comic, it wasnt easy for Garnier to break in to Hollywood. So he became involved in Leimert Park’s thriving black comedy scene.
“I guess you could describe it like a Harlem Renaissance here on the west coast,” Garnier said. “Back then in the nineties, that was the golden age of modern black comedy.”
The Comedy Act Theater was the hotspot in Leimert Park.
“If you were a black comic or a white comic with balls, pardon me, you went there,” Garnier said.
Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Bernie Mac and DL Hughley were just a few of the comics who performed weekly in the clubs. It was a tough room, even for the audience.
“You could not get up to go to the bathroom to the show because the guy on the spotlight would follow you,” Garnier said. “I don’t know how he could find you. He would follow you to the bathroom.  The MCs would sometimes go in the bathroom.”
Networks and talent scouts lured the black comics to Hollywood.
“It was so competitive it was like trying out for a professional sports team,” Garnier said. “You had to bring your A game. Hollywood knew at that time if you wanted black talent, specifically comics, thats where you went.
And then gradually the scene disappeared. Black comedy became part of the mainstream and club owners couldnt make money.  Garnier is disappointed with the scene today. “
“Today it stinks,” Garnier said.  “It was quality, right now people just want to get five minutes and be seen so they can get a television show. It all went away because the clubs started to let us in and its hard as hell to get people to come out and see comedy.”
He says black comics can get their start anywhere, including his comedy clubs open mic night. He thinks this is a post racial era of comedy.
“I think Hollywood and I think the world at large has moved I would hope beyond the sort of ethnic specific talent sort of search,” Garnier said. “Funny is just funny.”
Young comic Julian Michael agrees to a certain extent.
“I think thats a stretch,” Michael said. “I think we are moving in a direction thats towards that but I dont think that we are there yet. The newer generation of black comedians lives in a world where black people have more choice. We are not sort of fighting for civil rights in the same way. So our struggle to get our voice heard is different.”
But it still pays to know their audience.
The Downtown Comedy Club holds open mic nights every Friday and Saturday.
Karen Marcus, Annenberg Radio News.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the act will reduce greenhouse gases, save consumers billions at the gas pump. A study by Environment California found that the Clean Car Act will save California drivers 1.6 billion gallons of gasoline by 2016. Bernadette Del Chiaro, a clean energy advocate with Environment California, says it’s a move in the right direction.
(Bernadette Del Chiaro)
I mean oil is Americas Achilles heel and this one step thanks to the decisions at the state level is a huge step forward for America breaking our dependence on oil and tackling global warming.
However the clean car act comes on the heels of yesterdays announcement that the US would now allow offshore drilling, something that has environmentalists like Del Chiaro concerned. She says with the clean air act, offshore drilling is unnecessary.
(Del Chiaro)
This one standard overshadows any kind of oil that we would get from drilling off the coast. So really, President Obama got it wrong in our opinion yesterday with opening up Americas shores to oil drilling, but he got it very right today with making our cars cleaner which will not only reduce our dependence on oil but clean up our air.
Supporters of off-shore drilling say that it will help ease Americas reliance on foreign oil, and would help bring down the cost of gas. Reporting for Annenberg Radio News, Im Jenna Zwang.

Californians will vote later this year on a measure allowing people over 21 to possess up to an ounce of pot.

Secretary of State Debra Bowen certified yesterday that the petition had received more than 500,000 valid signatures.

Dan Newman is a strategist working with the campaign. He says legalizing the marijuana business could reduce drug-related arrests and help California raise some much-needed green.

Its estimated by Californias tax regulators that it would bring in over a billion dollars per year, which could be used by a state thats obviously in dire fiscal straits right now, Newman says. Thats money that could be used to really fund what matters, while at the same time freeing law enforcement to be able to dedicate their resources to preventing violent crimes.

The initiative would also let people grow up to 25 square feet of marijuana. And it would allow local governments to further authorize the production and sale of marijuana.

Toking up in public, in the car or around minors would still be prohibited.

Community Alliances for Drug Free Youth spokeswoman Aimee Hendle says the bill still sends the wrong message.

Even if you try to slap an age limit on it, its been proven that when perception of risk is lowered, then the amount of use goes up, she says. How can our kids say no when the adults around them are saying yes?

Hendle says she is not convinced the bill will save money.

In 2005, the state of California spent $19.9 billion on substance abuse and addiction and only collected $1.4 billion in tax revenue, she says. If marijuana is legalized, its only going to add that deficit despite the money that tax revenue will bring in.

Early polling shows most Californians are high on the idea. The issue has not been on the ballot since 1972, when voters strongly rejected decriminalization. But a field poll taken last April found 56 percent of state voters favored legalizing and taxing pot.

People understand that the current marijuana laws just simply are not working, and that includes law enforcement officers, and judges and teachers and doctors, Newman says.  Theres a pretty broad consensus that the situation right now doesnt work, and if you set up a system with common sense regulations and controls, you not only would benefit from the tax revenue, but you would also take away the business model from these violent drug cartels.

A Rand Corporation report on the proposed legalization found that the effects would be hard to predict.  The report said more research should be done on issues such as whether marijuana might become cheaper if legal, and if the heavy proposed taxes would keep the black market thriving.

If the measure passes, it will still conflict with federal law banning marijuana use.

Having houses along that rideline, would be traversity, to the extent that the sign in its iconic way is such a wonderfully recognized symbol world round. This effort has gotten global attention.

The Land is also important for other reasons

“It’s got terrific trails, its got wonderful views, its visible from everywhere, its important habitat for a bunch of different plants and animal species. Its an important human habitat as well. Even if the sign weren’t there, we’ll be working hard to protect this special place.”

Hollywood has stepped up, and donated already 9 million dollars.

“Academy of Motion Picture Arts, CBS corporation, Lucas Film, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures, Steven Spielberg, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., Walt Disney. Its quite a list Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson. It’s a good thing that Governor Schwarzenegger is standing up and saying we’ve to do something about this.”

More donations are needed.

“We’re still 3 million dollars short at this point and there a number of conversations going on. We covered the sign with save the peak and got a lot of attention, so we’ve got a lot of good conversations going on how we’re going to get this thing over the top. So we are cautiously optimistic but there are no guarantees.”

Will Rogers put it to Los Angeles to step up.

“Be not a very flattering statement about the citizens of Los Angeles and their willingness to protect their iconic landscape, it will be ugly.”

The Trust for Public Land has until the 14th of April to raise the necessary funds.

Ken Van der Meeren, Annenberg Radio News. 

There are just so many favorite things about the exhibit that I absolutely love, said William Harris, the Senior Vice President of Marketing for the California Science Center.  What we hear from the public is that they love everything.

The live habitats and hands on activities nearly doubles the amount of exhibition space at the Science Center.  Harris hopes this will draw in people of all ages, as well as students.

We have to be lifelong learners, and that is what the Science Center is all about, Harris said.  We are trying to keep people thinking and exploring throughout their lives.

Highlights include a River Zone that shows visitors the power and impact of currents through interactive wind machines, an Island Zone noticing how isolated species evolve, and a Desert and Flash Flood Zone that explores how animals adapt to the extreme heat of day and harsh cold of night.

My favorite part was going to the pole.  I looked at everything.  I loved it, it was so cool, Eighth grader Sarah Holmes said.  Holmes came to the exhibit opening with her school.

Other students enjoyed the interactive aspects of the exhibit which includes games, videos, and touch tanks.

I liked the part where I was in the desert and then it was flashed and all the water came because you get water on your hands, said 7-year-old Kiara Scottlyn.

The exhibit features a 24-foot long transparent through a 188,000 gallon kelp habitat.  The tank is populated with more than 1,500 live fish, kelp, and other marine life.  It is the only walk-through kelp habitat in the world.

You have a chance to really understand what it is like to be a species living in a kelp forest, Harris explained.  There are so many wonderful experiences for the public to stimulate learning.

More information about exploring the sights and sounds of the Ecosystems exhibit at the California Science Center can be found at http://www.californiasciencecenter.org.

Reporting by Ariele Pratt. 

-----------------------------------
Today is a monumental today in the advancement of health care for Americans.  But, while many citizens are focusing on the health care part of the bill, some are directing their attention to the abortion section.

Planned Parenthood is one of the most prominent abortion clinics and it is thrilled with today’s news.  “Bringing 32 million people into our health care system is one of the hugest advances we would see in our country, and I think it’s just a monumental effort and monumental victory, even though not everything is perfect about the bill,” says Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Issaacs.

Although many pro-abortion advocates can be pleased with the advances in health care, they may not be too happy about a certain executive order put in the bill.  The order states that no federal funds can be used for abortions except in extreme cases such as rape, incest or the mother’s health. 

Isaacs is upset about this and said, “I don’t see why something that women,in particular, may need at a particular time for a number of reasons…why that should be marginalized and held out and somehow made different.”

South Los Angeles residents have conflicting opinions on using federal money for abortions.  “The economy cannot afford any more people as far as wealth care and stuff like that, so I think [the government] should pay for it,” said Gloria Lopez.

“People should take care of themselves.  Pregnancy is preventable,” says Soiley Pantalion.  Pantalion would rather see the money that would be used for abortions to be used for new schools and hospitals. 

While there many be differing opinions amongst residents, everyone agrees that monumental change was made today. 

Dr. Nikias will take over from current president Steven Sample in August. Seventy-five candidates were reviewed and narrowed down to seven finalists who were all serving as presidents or provosts of major universities. The recommendation to choose Nikias was unanimous. 

Assistant Vice President for Media Relations James Grant is excited about this decision:

“He has an exemplary career as a researcher, as an educator, as a university administrator…and he has earned a lot of accolades for his leadership.”

At USC, Dr. Nikias’ footprint is clear. He’s worked on securing new fellowships and scholarships for hundred of students.

During his four-year term as Dean of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, he tripled the number of women on the faculty and raised over 200 million dollars—the only dean who was able to raise so much money in such a short period of time.

Steven B. Sample has led USC since 1991, and he believes the university will be in excellent hands with Dr. Nikias as president. Under Steven Sample’s 19-year presidency, USC has been recognized around the world in the fields of communication and multimedia studies, has built ground-breaking partnerships in the community, and has secured its position as one of the nation’s top research universities.

In 2000, Time magazine named USC “college of the year”. Now, in a statement released by the university, the board of trustees states that they believe Nikias is the best possible person to continue to lead the university forward.

Camellia Abou-Odah, Annenberg Radio News.

The study found that one-third of local news broadcasts led with crime stories. And when they’re not leading with crime, the rest tend to start with sports or entertainment.

In a typical 30-minute local TV news broadcast only an average of twenty-two seconds were devoted to local government coverage - that includes education, layoffs, personnel changes, the budget, and the environment.

Former TV news reporter and panelist at the release event today, Bob Jimenez, is disappointed.

“The experience for I think news watchers, its much like walking into a fast-food chain. Eating your hamburger and then walking out and feeling, ‘why am I still hungry?’ Because the nutrition isn’t there, the content isn’t there, and you’re left wanting.”

The study found that Los Angeles’ budget crisis appeared as a lead story only one time out of a hundred.

Chris Foy, Annenberg Radio News

Students and teachers at Fremont have protested and Picus says the track record of reconstituting schools is mixed.

Teachers and administrators often complain about the stigma of being labeled low performing. But Picus says being targeted for improvement sometimes works. Sun Valley Middle School in LAUSD was named as one of the worst schools in the state a decade ago. Picus says it brought in a new principal and saw dramatic improvement.

Federal officials have assured the state that schools that replaced their principal in the last two years won’t have to do so again, according to Rachel Perry at the California Department of Education.

Still, school officials’ reaction has been mixed. Perry says many are making large budget cuts and don’t welcome the news.

Picus says schools need to use proven strategies, such as improved teacher training and time for teachers to collaborate.

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LAUSD--the second largest school district in the nation--was passed over for federal funding.  The Vice President of the LAUSD Board Yolie Flores said the reason was the poor relations with the union.
“Our union refused to sign off, Flores said. “And that’s why we lost it.  And not just our union statewide. CTA. We did it to ourselves.”
After laying off more than 5,000 employees earlier this week, this comes as a big blow to the school district.  LAUSD is still figuring out how to close the over 600 million dollar deficit. Board member Nury Martinez said politics are getting in the way.
“It’s a shame because at the end of the day its kids who are we are trying to help,” Martinez said, “And at the end of the day it will be a political tug of war and I’m just not hopeful.”
They’re pulling out all the stops.
LAUSD wants to tastefully use corporate advertising to bring in money.
“I just want us to be thoughtful and work with the schools on how we roll this out,” said one of the board members. “You know we’re not going to have medical marijuana dispensaries advertising on campus.”
The board also wants to increase the number of furlough days and cut managerial staff. Board member Doctor Richard Vladovic thinks if done right the cuts won’t hurt achievement.
“I think our vision needs to be we may be cutting but we are still demanding excellence and expecting excellence,” Vladovic said, “Because you’re hearing from all of the teachers unions and administrators unions you know what’s going to happen to student achievement. I said my expectation is even higher. We’re going to do it differently and we’re going to do it better because we are all accountable.”
But there might be no other alternatives. Eventually LAUSD will have to cut services.
“I don’t want to do these cuts,” one board member argued, “This is horrible.”
The district wants to protect middle and high school students and increase class sizes in the lower grades.
Administrator Megan Reilly warned LAUSD not to cut middle and high school resources.
“Trying to learn algebra or trying to learn difficult skills in a class of 40 is probably not going to make you college prepared or job ready,” Reilly said.
LAUSD is hoping LA voters will pass a parcel tax of 100 dollars per property owner in June and reduce the budget gap by 93 million dollars.
Until then LAUSD will be pinching pennies to make ends meet.
Karen Marcus, Annenberg Radio News.

Jose, who did not want to give his last name, is a fifth year theater student.

“People should start taking more action and not ignoring things, because if they start ignoring it won’t go away,” he said.

This state side Day of Action hopes to draw attention to the severe budget cuts affecting all of the Cal State Universities.  As public universities, they have been forced to cancel classes, order furloughs, and increase student fees.  The Cal State system usually enrolls 450,000 thousand students, but incoming student enrollment for this year has been cut by 10,000 students.

Mabel is working towards her masters degree in political science.  She says the packed classrooms and limited choice of classes are not worth the increased tuition rates.

“We’re being punished by the budget cuts.  I applied on time, I got my classes, then they were canceled.  So I had to pay,” Mabel said.  “The quality of education is suffering, the professors are suffering, the students are suffering, and no one seems to care.”

Students are faculty members are showing a united front against the cuts.  Even the campus security officials monitoring the rally are being forced to take furlough days. 

Until changes in the budget are made, students say they do not plan on giving up the fight.  Joan Anagosa is a third year social works student.

“March 4th is not the solution to the budget cuts.  It’s the start to what as a nation we can create and awareness to the government about how we are being affecting as students,” Joan said.

Cal State Los Angeles students continue their protests all across campus, some planning to march to the governors office in downtown Los Angeles.

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