Occidental College
Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy at Occidental College; co-author of Thinking Big: The Story of the Los Angeles Times, Its Publishers, and Their Influence on Southern California and Food Justice: Food, Health, and the Environment; former board member of the Metropolitan Water District
New Battles in California's Water Wars California's definitive problem is the shortage of water — brought to public consciousness by a third year of diminished rainfall and new battles in the ongoing water war. Politicians are demanding a drought declaration. Governor Brown wants $25 billion for two new tunnels to help bring water from North to South, and San Diego has gone to court against the Metropolitan Water District, which delivers water to 20 million people.
In the Heart of Hollywood: Produce or Parking? It's only open on Sundays, but there's enough money left over to help similar markets sell fresh produce in Watts, Atwater Village and other neighborhoods where they can't make it on their own. For 19 years, the Hollywood Farmers' Market has occupied several blocks of Ivar and Selma Streets between Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards. Now, its permit to block off the street has expired and a three-year dispute with the neighboring LA Film School is about to come to a head.
All That Rain, Down the Drain After a couple of major rainstorms it may sound counter-intuitive, but it is still short of water and likely to remain so.
Dissecting the Deal for the LA Times Yesterday, Sam Zell put up $300 million in a complicated takeover of the Tribune Company of Chicago, which is worth $8.2 billion and includes the Los Angeles Times . Zell, a Chicago real estate billionaire who beat out local billionaires Ron Burkle and Eli Broad , has said almost nothing in public, but local billionaire David Geffen says he still has a chance. In a message to the LA Times newsroom, Editor Jim O'Shea said that, while any change of ownership carries some risk--and this includes a heavy debt burden--Zell is "a creative thinker and an inventive entrepreneur," who says, "he believes in the future of the news business." We hear more about the deal, possible staff cuts and absentee ownership of Southern California’s major news source in a conversation with O'Shea and others.
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.