Which Way, L.A.?

Level-One Smog Alerts Return to Southland

Just a few years ago, Houston passed Los Angeles as the smoggiest place in the country. Yet after years of progress toward cleaner air, heavy smog has returned to the Southland. This year, there have been almost twice as many unhealthful air-quality days as last year. Last week, in the Lake Arrowhead region, the Air Quality Management District called a Stage One smog alert for the first time in five years, advising the elderly, children, and people with asthma, heart and lung disease to remain indoors, and cautioning everyone to avoid strenuous exercise. We look at what-s gone wrong and what Californians are willing to do about it with a former official from the AQMD, an urban planning expert from the Public Policy Institute of California and the policy director of the Coalition for Clean Air. Making News: Record Disappointment with California Government Governor Davis may be facing a recall election, but he-s not California-s most unpopular elected official. If you count the Assembly and Senate collectively, voters disapprove of them even more. Mark DiCamillo, director of the California Field Poll, says the Legislature-s 19 percent approval rating is the lowest in the Poll-s history. He says voters are also acutely concerned about cutbacks to education, healthcare and law enforcement.