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    Back to Which Way, L.A.?

    Which Way, L.A.?

    Iran and Nuclear Weapons; A 'Mystery Man' for LA

    Austin Beutner is Mayor Villaraigosa's latest pick to head the Department of Water and Power.  Today's Daily News calls him a "man of mystery." Can a banker and financier run a public utility? What about increased utility rates and "green" power? We talk with Beutner. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, in a Top Secret memo, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said there's no long-range plan to deal with Iran if it learns to make nuclear weapons. Gates denies it was a "wake-up call."

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    By Warren Olney • Apr 22, 2010 • 52m Listen

    Arguments over rates charged by LA's Department of Water and Power have been central to what Mayor Villaraigosa calls the undermining of "civic unity." Now he's put a Wall Street banker in charge of the DWP. We ask Austin Beutner about his qualifications to run a public utility, how the DWP can be made accountable to the public that own it, his plans for converting to "green energy" and what they might cost. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, in a Top Secret memo, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said there's no long-range plan to deal with Iran if it learns to make nuclear weapons. Gates denies it was a "wake-up call." So, what was he up to? And what are the options?

    Banner image: Mayor Villaraigosa announces nomination of Austin Beutner as Interim General Manager of the Department of Water and Power. April 19, 2010

    In this episode

    2 stories
    1. 0:00

      Dissecting the Iran Memo

      President Obama has tried diplomacy, but yesterday Iran announced that it's starting work on a new plant to enrich uranium. The President's fallback strategy is getting the United Nations to step up sanctions designed to prevent Iran from "reaching the threshold."

      Read the story
      28 min
    2. 27:44

      Mayor Villaraigosa's Latest Choice to Lead the DWP

      In last night's speech on the State of the City , Mayor Villaraigosa said the strain of challenges facing LA have "undermined civic unity." He referred specifically to the battle over increasing utility rates, explained as necessary for the Department of Water and Power to switch from fossil fuels to "green energy."

      Read the story
      25 min
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Frances Anderton

      architecture critic and author

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Darrell Satzman

      Producer

      News

    In this episode

    2 stories
    1. 0:0028 min

      Dissecting the Iran Memo

    2. 27:4425 min

      Mayor Villaraigosa's Latest Choice to Lead the DWP

    Back to Which Way, L.A.?