Which Way, L.A.?
Big Cuts Coming to Los Angeles Courts
Civil trials in San Francisco could be a thing of the past after 25 of 63 courtrooms are shut down and 40 percent of the staff has been laid off. Los Angeles judges say...
By Warren Olney • • 53m ListenCivil trials in San Francisco could be a thing of the past after 25 of 63 courtrooms are shut down and 40 percent of the staff has been laid off. Los Angeles judges say their courts will be next. It's not just budget cuts signed by Governor Brown. Many judges accuse the statewide Administrative Office of taking what money is left for grandiose projects instead of using it to keep courtrooms open to service the public. We hear about what one LA judge calls a "civil war." Also, the LA Coliseum under scrutiny, and how cocaine makes its way from South America to be distributed nationwide from Los Angeles. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, are both parties to blame for the deadlock on Capitol Hill?
In this episode
4 storiesLA Coliseum under Scrutiny
The LA Times has reported that the former events manger of the LA Coliseum and Sports Arena collected almost $2 million from contractors while both venues were operating in the red.
Read the story7 minBudget Cuts and Access to Justice
Judges in Los Angeles County are warning that budget cuts are likely to force courtrooms to close and limit access to justice. At the same time, one judge says there's a "civil war" over excessive spending by the statewide Administrative Office. In San Francisco, the axe has already fallen.
Read the story15 minListening on the Wire to the Sinaloa Cartel
The Los Angeles Times is running a series on the infamous Sinaloa drug cartel, an institution ruled by fear, superstition and money. Reporter Richard Marosi is detailing how a nonstop river of cocaine runs from Colombia to Mexico to Los Angeles and then on to the rest of the country.
Read the story6 minDebt Showdown: Playing Politics with the US Economy
E-mail and phone lines are jammed on Capitol Hill, and there's a nasty Twitter campaign against all of Washington. But despite the impending deadline, Democrats and Republicans are still far apart on the debt ceiling.
Read the story26 min
