- Newsmaker: State Moves to Fix Energy Crunch - Governor Gray Davis has reached a tentative agreement with Southern California Edison that would keep the utility in business. Assemblyman Roderick Wright calls the proposal crucial to the state's future. He defends the state's purchase of transmission lines, as well as a possible rate adjustment, as crucial to breaking the energy roadblock.
- Reporter's Notebook: LA's True Crime Stories - Some of the world's best known trials have been handled by the LA District Attorney. Some made news because of celebrity, or because they were just plain weird. Writer Michael Parish is author of For the People. He gives us a look inside the LA County district attorney's office.
Longer Middle School Year
The traditional school year has always included a summer break so kids could help with farm chores, but maybe throwing out the agrarian calendar would improve student achievement. Governor Davis has put forth a plan that would fund six more weeks of middle school and provide summertime reading and math assistance. Supporters say the program would benefit needy students. Critics cite curriculum, counseling and teacher preparation as better uses for the funds. We get two views from Kerry Mazzoni, California's newly-appointed Education Secretary, and Robert Turnage, of the legislative analyst's office. (Kyle McKinnon guest hosts this half-hour edition of WWLA.)