KCRW's Which Way, LA?
Summary: Award-winning moderator Warren Olney leads lively. thoughtful and provocative discussion on the issues Southern Californians care about. Which Way. L.A.? draws from newsmakers around Los Angeles, the state, North America, and from around the world to present all sides of the issues.
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- Artist: Warren Olney, KCRW.com
- Copyright: KCRW 2014
Podcasts:
The LA City Council finally came through today on a promise made eight weeks ago to the homeless ? declaring a "shelter crisis." But property owners in Venice are among those angry because of provisions that "decriminalize" homelessness to protect federal funding, and the council still doesn't know where to find $100 million to provide shelters and build new housing.
When deadly violence shattered a happy Friday evening in Paris, the pain and sadness struck deep here in Southern California. We talk to a French actress about friends and family in her old neighborhood and to a Muslim-American leader, who feels outrage against the extremists and vulnerability because of his religion.
The multi-billion-dollar fantasy sports industry has been advertising big time to counter accusations of insider trading. New York's attorney general has ordered Fan Duel, DraftKings and others to stop what he calls illegal gambling and Nevada already requires a gaming license. What about California?
The car capital of the world is divided over the automobile versus public transit and bicycle riding. Mobility Plan 2035 would create a big, new network of bus and bicycle lanes?partly by shrinking the lanes now devoted to cars. Will lawsuits derail the project?
Starting this weekend, 20 members of California's Assembly and Senate are getting five days at a five-star resort in Hawaii — paid for by special interests with legislative business. It's an annual junket. As always, the agenda is secret, but Democrats as well as Republicans are invited, so it's called "bipartisan." public disclosure's required until March of next year. What's going on?
Drought has turned local forests into a massive tinderbox of dead trees, and the predicted El Niño is unlikely to bring them back to life. We hear about a high-tech aerial investigation that's turned up new challenges for fire control, erosion and water quality.
When the Sylmar Earthquake brought down concrete apartment houses, 52 people were killed. Sixteen lost their lives when wooden, “soft story” buildings collapsed during the Northridge quake. Today, LA City Council members are looking at earthquake retrofitting proposals tough enough to make history. We hear what’s at stake for landlords and tenants.
Glendale is one of seven suburban communities with a statue memorializing the so-called "comfort women" abducted for use by Japanese soldiers during World War II. Now San Francisco may become the first major American city with a similar monument. But the proposal is creating international controversy.
Volkswagen admits that it cheated on smog tests for almost a half-million diesel engines in the US, with 50,000 to 60,000 in California alone. Company stock is already falling, fines could amount to $18 billion and all those vehicles will have to be retrofitted. That's if customers bring them in. Are they likely to do that when the whole point of the cheating was making the cars fun to drive?
The Presidents of the US and China have agreed to fight against climate change. Now, Los Angeles is one of 10 American cities signing up with 10 cities in China — all promising the "intent" to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. We ask Mayor Eric Garcetti if "intent" is enough to make a real difference.
Violent crime, including murder, is on the increase in South Los Angeles after almost a decade of steady decline. Yesterday, an "emergency meeting" was packed with elected officials, cops, activists and residents -- including survivors and victims' relatives. What new resources are required, compared to what's available?
Can California cut gasoline usage in half in just 15 years? That's the goal of SB 350, a greenhouse gas reduction measure that easily passed the State Senate early this year. Then the oil companies came after it with a vengeance — including a massive TV campaign. Now it's in trouble in the Assembly. Would it really limit how much you can drive your car? Would you be penalized for driving too often?
Ending years of litigation, today the California prison system is significantly changing the way it handles solitary confinement, and will likely move thousands of inmates into the general population. The lawsuit was brought by prisoners, mostly gang members and those who committed crimes behind bars, who claimed being held in a small, windowless, soundproof cell for up to 23 hours a day for decades amounted to cruel and unusual punishment.
Parents who don't want to vaccinate their children admit that can end relationships. But many still want California voters to overturn a new law requiring childhood vaccinations in the interests of public health. We hear from them and update their adventure in politics.
Forty percent of the nation’s imports arrive at the Ports of LA and Los Angeles. Goods are then trucked out to the Inland Empire, to be stored in massive warehouses the size of hundreds of football fields. Local officials have spent public money luring still more so-called logistics centers—despite concerns about traffic congestion, air quality and other problems.