Which Way, L.A.?

Trouble Ahead for Those Needing a Public Hospital?

Faced with an $ 800 million deficit, LA County is planning massive healthcare cuts, including conversion of High Desert Hospital into an outpatient clinic. The shortfall may also force the closure of public hospitals. Although the poor and uninsured appear to be those hardest hit, even those with insurance could be affected because these facilities are an integral part of the trauma system, which serves anyone that needs treatment. We hear how it works and whether more taxes will keep the system afloat from a doctor whose life was saved by a public hospital, the medical director of Harbor-UCLA Med Center, and the head of the business-oriented advocacy group California Taxpayers Association. Newsmaker: Traffic Better but LA Still Most Congested US City Once again, LA has placed first in the Texas Transportation Institute-s survey of the worst traffic in the US. The average Los Angeles-area driver loses 136 hours a year waiting in traffic. San Francisco is next with just 92. James Delaloza, who does countywide planning for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, elaborates on the costs and consequences of regional traffic congestion. Reporter-s Notebook: Sleepless over Soccer Whether America-s team wins or not, most Californians are sleeping through the World Cup. But places like Santa Monica-s Cock and Bull are helping real soccer fans follow all 51 of the games live, 24 hours a day. KCRW-s Paddy Hirsch spoke with several of the pub-s all-night revelers who will return to watch England versus Brazil tonight, and America play Germany at 4:30 tomorrow morning.