Which Way, L.A.?

Cell Phones: Talkers- Rights or Drivers' Wrongs?

The California Highway Patrol is taking a second look at a study concluding that cell phones are not all that much of a problem. A revised conclusion by the CHP could give a boost to new state legislation. Should California ban cell phones from vehicles, or require equipment that-s -hands-free.- Would that be a needless restriction of talkers- rights or an invaluable tool of lifesaving proportions? We hear both sides of the debate from the LA Times writer who discovered the discrepancies in the CHP report, the author of an unsuccessful state assembly bill that would have required the use of -hands free- cell phones while driving, and the director of telecommunications studies at the Cato Institute. Newsmaker: San Francisco Liberal to Be House Minority Leader Tomorrow, Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco is likely to become the first woman ever to head a major party in Congress. Before she replaces Dick Gephart as Minority Leader, she-s getting a roasting in the conservative press. Marc Sandalow is following the transition of power from America-s heartland to its -Left Coast- for the San Francisco Chronicle. Reporter-s Notebook: Christian Values for an Iranian Family in LA Becoming acculturated in America is a long process for many immigrants. Sometimes, the reasons for one-s relocation make the transition easier. Other times, it-s difficult to find just the right balance of what to bring and what to leave behind. Rhoda Nazanin of Youth Radio talks about adjusting to life in LA as a born-again Christian refugee from Iran.