Which Way, L.A.?
Does California Have a Double Standard for the Public's Protection?
Porter Ranch and Vernon are mirror images of each other. In one, schools have been closed and thousands of residents are being moved away by the polluter—just months after a natural gas leak was discovered. In the other, residents complained for years about health risks to school children from exposure to lead and arsenic from a battery recycling plant— until the federal government finally stepped in.
By Warren Olney • • 25m ListenPorter Ranch in the San Fernando Valley and Vernon in East Los Angeles are mirror images of each other. In one case, schools have been closed and thousands of residents are being moved away by the polluter— just months after a natural gas leak was discovered. In the other, residents complained for years about the health risks to school children from daily exposure to lead and arsenic from a battery recycling plant — until the federal government finally stepped in.
Also on the program, the reward has been increased for murder suspects who escaped yesterday from the Orange County jail.
Photo: Looking south on Soto Street in Vernon, California (Downtowngal)
In this episode
2 storiesHunt for the Orange County Jail Escapees Continues
The reward has been increased for three murder suspects who escaped yesterday from the Orange County Jail. It's now $50,000 apiece. Tony Saavedra is legal affairs reporter for the Orange County Register .
Read the story7 minCalifornia's Double Standard for Public Protection
State regulators waited for months before they responded to the Southern California Gas Company's dangerous leak in the San Fernando Valley. They waited for years until the federal government finally forced closure of the Exide Technologies battery-recycling plant near East Los Angeles.
Read the story18 min
