Which Way, L.A.?
Are Community Colleges Padding Their Rolls?
With state government facing its worst budget crisis in decades, Governor Davis is withholding $80 million from the community college budget after publication of a report that high school sports practices are being turned into college courses. All over California, high school athletes are getting community college credit for just showing up at team practice, and sometimes, they don-t even have to do that. Their high school coaches are getting extra pay and community colleges are pulling in millions in state money. We hear more about the practice and ethics of -bridge- athletics from an education reporter at the Orange County Register, the public information officer at Cypress College, and the California chancellor of community colleges, who oversees the state-s 108 community colleges and 2.5 million students. Newsmaker: State Cuts Put Social Programs on Chopping Block They may be dictated by the state, but Governor Davis-s $10 billion in budget cuts will be felt at the local level. In the City of Los Angeles, that could mean fewer library books, less pothole repair, and fewer meals for senior citizens. Harrison Sheppard, city hall reporter for the Daily News, reviews several of the proposed cutbacks, whom they will affect, and how some social programs could be rescued. Reporter-s Notebook: The Robles Trial in South Gate The treasurer of the City of South Gate is on trial for threatening to kill two members of the State Assembly, one of their spouses and a policeman. Yet, Albert Robles says it-s all about politics and that, even if he did make threats, it was just -discourteous- talk that-s protected by the Constitution. LA Times- columnist Frank del Olmo, who was in the courtroom yesterday, has more on the death threats and changing face of local politics.
By Warren Olney • • 1 min readWith state government facing its worst budget crisis in decades, Governor Davis is withholding $80 million from the community college budget after publication of a report that high school sports practices are being turned into college courses. All over California, high school athletes are getting community college credit for just showing up at team practice, and sometimes, they don-t even have to do that. Their high school coaches are getting extra pay and community colleges are pulling in millions in state money. We hear more about the practice and ethics of -bridge- athletics from an education reporter at the Orange County Register, the public information officer at Cypress College, and the California chancellor of community colleges, who oversees the state-s 108 community colleges and 2.5 million students.
State Cuts Put Social Programs on Chopping Block
They may be dictated by the state, but Governor Davis-s $10 billion in budget cuts will be felt at the local level. In the City of Los Angeles, that could mean fewer library books, less pothole repair, and fewer meals for senior citizens. Harrison Sheppard, city hall reporter for the Daily News, reviews several of the proposed cutbacks, whom they will affect, and how some social programs could be rescued.
The Robles Trial in South Gate
The treasurer of the City of South Gate is on trial for threatening to kill two members of the State Assembly, one of their spouses and a policeman. Yet, Albert Robles says it-s all about politics and that, even if he did make threats, it was just -discourteous- talk that-s protected by the Constitution. LA Times- columnist Frank del Olmo, who was in the courtroom yesterday, has more on the death threats and changing face of local politics.
