Which Way, L.A.?

Gregory Peck, State Poll, Cardinal Mahony, Arroyo Seco

Movie fans around the world are saddened today by the news that Gregory Peck died quietly in his sleep at the age of 87. An Academy Award winner for his role as the idealistic Southern lawyer Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, Peck starred in films as varied as Gentleman-s Agreement, Twelve O-clock High, and Cape Fear. A family spokesman said -he wasn-t really ill. He just sort of ran his course.- Kenneth Turan, film critic for the Los Angeles Times, remembers -the man who made decency sexy- on-stage and off.[Listen] The budget deadlock continues in Sacramento, and the move to recall Governor Davis may get enough signatures to make the ballot. Mark Baldassare, pollster for the Public Policy Institute of California, says a clear majority of those surveyed, included a high number of Republicans, would pay higher taxes to fund education, healthcare and other human services. Fully three-quarters disapprove of Davis- job performance, especially as it relates to the budget. .[Listen] Making News: Did Cardinal Mahony Resist Abuse Inquiry? Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating has told the LA Times that Cardinal Roger Mahony listens -too much to his lawyer and not enough to his heart.- Keating heads the National Review Board, set up by America-s Catholic bishops to investigate the church-s sexual abuse scandal. Joe Feuerherd, Washington editor of the National Catholic Reporter, says that Keating is clearly frustrated by Mahony's reluctance to help uncover abuses. Reporter-s Notebook: Recalling the Arroyo Seco Parkway The Arroyo Seco Parkway opened in 1940 to provide unbroken driving through park-like surroundings for 27,000 cars a day at 45 miles an hour. Today, the Pasadena Freeway is the most accident-prone road of its kind in the Southland, used by five times that many cars, all driving as fast as they can. On Sunday, all those cars will make way for pedestrians. Bob Gottlieb, professor of urban and environmental policy at Occidental College, has more on the parkway-s past and future.