Which Way, L.A.?

Are Tree Preservation Laws Branching out Too Far?

From Maryland to Arkansas, Texas to California, a new form of local government has emerged with the very specific purpose of protecting trees. In Claremont, Burbank and Thousand Oaks, citizen tree boards regulate pruning and trimming disputes with homeowners, and punish violators with fines and mitigation charges that can reach thousands of dollars, especially when a tree is deemed to have special value. Do such measures protect a valuable community asset or are they a gross violation of private property rights? We get two opinions from Kay Greeley, City Arborist for the cities of Calabassas and Agoura Hills, and attorney Gideon Kanner, professor emeritus at Loyola Law School. Newsmaker: State Auditor Sees Shortage of Prison Guards A recent state audit has determined that prison guards are costing California taxpayers a lot more than they-re supposed to, and will continue to do so for a long time to come. Don Thompson, who writes for the Associated Press, looks at the recent audit, cost overruns within the Corrections Department, a new prison guard union contract and the growing prison population. Reporter-s Notebook: National Urban League Returns to LA The National Urban League will hold its annual conference in LA for the first time in 20 years. The group, which promotes economic self-reliance for African Americans, pulled out of LA in 1996, because of Governor Wilson-s anti-affirmative action initiative. Lee Daniels, editor of the League-s Publications, assesses the state of Black America today, including its evolving political clout, educational advances and coalition building.