Which Way, L.A.?

Which Way, L.A.?
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.
RECENT SHOWS
Healthcare Reform in Washington; Education in California
King hospital gets new life, but the state's latest $21 billion shortfall poses another threat to education. We hear what it could mean for LA Unified and what's being done to qualify for the President's Race-to-the Top money. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, Democrats want their healthcare reform bill on the Senate floor before next week's Thanksgiving vacation. Republicans will do all they can to prevent that from happening.
Global Warming, Higher Education in California
A 32 percent increase in student fees now seems inevitable at the University of California. What does that mean for California’s middle class and the state’s role in the knowledge economy? Also, KCRW's General Manger Ruth Seymour is stepping down. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, world leaders now agree that next month’s meeting in Copenhagen will not produce a binding agreement for action on global warming.
Closing Guantanamo, Opening Up the LAUSD
Charlie Beck starts his first term as Chief of the LAPD and the LA School District begins farming out schools to outside operators. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, to make good on his promise to close Guantanamo Bay, President Obama needs to re-locate more than 200 prisoners. One likely location in northwestern Illinois has set off a political firestorm.
For Obama, Job One; In Southern California, Art and Pot
The LA City Council debates a question other cities answered long ago: how to regulate medical marijuana. Also, Eli Broad's massive collection of contemporary art could mean prestige and money for Beverly Hills or Santa Monica. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, in the "jobless recovery," the President says "Job One" is creating jobs. What can he do? Can he do it before the mid-term elections?
Diplomacy in Asia and Partisan Politics in California
Republicans Pounce on Attorney General Jerry Brown, whose press secretary might have broken state law by taping a phone conversation without asking permission from the other party. Also, the brown pelican is off the endangered species list. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, as President Obama goes to Asia, the US is still in deep trouble while China is riding high.
Iran and Diplomatic Confusion; LA Veterans Home from the Wars
In addition to the visible wounds of combat, hundreds of thousands of veterans come home from Iraq and Afghanistan with injuries nobody else can see. What’s happening to those with PTSD and brain damage as they try to adjust to life in LA? On our rebroadcast of To the Point, political divisions inside Iran appear to be threatening a nuclear deal with the west, even though competing Iranian factions may want it to happen.
Fort Hood Killings; Swine Flu; Political Reform for California
There's a shortage of H1N1 vaccine in LA County and a shortage of information about how many people are dying from swine flu. We hear about that and some bad news for efforts to reform government in California. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, 13 people were gunned down last Thursday at Fort Hood, Texas. Were they victims of terrorism? Could the incident have been prevented?
It Was 20 Years Ago Today: The Fall of the Berlin Wall
There are huge celebrations in Berlin, as world leaders gather to mark an event that changed the face of the world. It was twenty years ago today that the Berlin Wall came down. In this rebroadcast of today's To the Point, guest host Sara Terry asks whether the past two decades have lived up to the promise of that moment, and how the end of the Cold War era shaped the political and economic realities of today. Also, the Supreme Court considers life sentences for children, and why pro-choice activists are upset with the vote on healthcare reform.
Off-year Election Results and Water for California
Anthony Villaraigosa talks about his choice for a new chief of the LAPD and the rest of his own term as mayor. Plus, the State Legislature finally passes a water program, including $11 billion in bonds that will have to get voter approval. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, Republicans took governorships from Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey. A Democrat took a congressional seat from the GOP in upstate New York. Maine voters said "no" to same-sex marriage. What messages do "off-year elections" carry for national politics?
Obama and Middle East Peace; Villagraigosa and the LAPD
Mayor Villagraigosa has chosen Deputy Chief Charlie Beck to succeed Bill Bratton as Chief of the LAPD. We hear from both men and get reaction from a cross section of city figures. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, Hillary Clinton's having a tough time with Israelis and Arabs, and Congress is about to condemn a UN report on war crimes in Gaza.
Credibility in Afghanistan and Homeless in LA
Despite the recession, the number of homeless people in LA County has gone down, or has it? Ethics investigations are underway into two local members of Congress. Latinos are celebrating the Day of the Dead. On To the Point, Abdullah Abdullah has dropped out, so there won't be a run-off, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai will get a second term. Will he be "credible" to his own people or to President Obama as he decides whether to send more American soldiers?
The 'Public Option,' TV Sets and the Dodgers in Divorce Court
Today's North Hollywood synagogue shooting, greening TV sets, and the Dodgers in divorce court. On our rebroadcast of today’s To the Point, the "public option" is not dead after all. The House and the Senate will debate two different versions of healthcare reform.
Swine Flu, the Decline of Newspapers and the Chief of the LAPD
California newspapers are on the ropes. As they compete with themselves on the Internet, the New York Times may be covering local news in LA and San Francisco. We hear about that and the three insiders most likely to succeed LA Police Chief Bill Bratton. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, mixed messages about swine flu and the availability of H1N1 vaccine have led to confusion and unexpected public anxiety.
China's Economy and California's Water Wars
After years of delay and months of closed-door negotiations, a massive state water plan is finally out in the open. Does that mean it can be voted on this week as legislative leaders predicted? We hear from Sacramento. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, China will soon pass Japan as the world's second largest economy, but it's not easy to cope with such rapid expansion. How long can the growth continue? Can the US and China afford to be adversaries?
Executive Pay on Wall Street and New Digs for the LAPD
Parker Center has been replaced as police headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. Does the new building, so far without a name, represent a new way for the LAPD to protect and serve? On our rebroadcast of To the Point, traders and brokers who almost wrecked the economy got bonuses anyway, even as their companies were being saved by taxpayer bailouts. Will Obama Administration pay cuts punish the right people? Will new rules protect against another recession?
Program Details
Host
Considered the dean of Southern California broadcast journalists, Warren tackles the issues Southern Californians care about. Expanding that concept, To the Point deals with issues of national concern and is on air in most major metropolitan markets across the country. On any day, you’ll hear a fast-paced, news-based talk show featuring multiple perspectives on a single major issue, with Newsmaker and Reporters Notebook features, as well.
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Schedule
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Tapes & Transcripts
A CD copy of Which Way L.A.? is a available by calling 1.888.600.5279.
Transcripts are not available.
Underwriters
Which Way L.A.? is made possible in part by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation, which supports study and research into policy issues of the Los Angeles region.
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