Apartment Eviction in South Area Gang Area; Universal Preschool Initiative; Motion Picture Industry Sues Computer Servers; Gordon Davidson
Apartment Eviction in South Area Gang Area
A Los Angeles Judge has ordered the eviction of all tenants from an apartment complex on the grounds that it is rife with gang activity and a danger to the public. Gangs have used the apartment complex as a base from which to deal drugs and cause violence in the community, including shooting nine people, for years. LA City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo joins Larry to discuss the eviction, a new approach to dealing with Los Angeles' gang problem. Joining the conversation also is Ricardo Garcia, an attorney for the ACLU and Reverend Leonard Jackson, director of community outreach, at first AME Church.
Universal Preschool Initiative
Proposition 10, sponsored by Rob Reiner, was passed by California voters in 1998. It imposed a 50 cent-a-pack tobacco tax, the proceeds of which were to go toward creating a universal preschool system in California. So far, more than $3.4 billion has been raised, but no universal preschool program has yet been put in place. Where has the money gone? Wilma Chan, California Assemblywoman representing the 16th district (Oakland), joins Larry to discuss the issue. Yesterday she and Rob Reiner jointly announced a bill that would require state oversight of the County Universal Preschool Commissions. Also joining the conversation is Evelyn Martinez, Executive Director of First 5 LA.
Motion Picture Industry Sues Computer Servers
The MPAA has announced it is filing suit against individuals who host servers accessed via eDonkey, BitTorrent and Direct Connect, peer-to-peer computer file-sharing networks that facilitate the transfer of pirated films. The servers host films, which are then available for anybody to download via the peer-to-peer networks. Larry is joined by John Malcom, senior VP, MPAA director of worldwide anti-piracy, and Daniel Klerman, USC intellectual property law professor.
Gordon Davidson
Gordon Davidson is stepping down from his post after 38 years as the artistic director of one of the most prestigious theatres in the country, the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum of the Los Angles County Music Center. Larry Mantle speaks with him about his lengthy career in theatre and his legacy at CGT/Mark Taper Forum.