Legislative Round-Up; Central Valley Project Water Contracts Renewed; Israel to Evict Settlers in Gaza and West Bank; The Other Hollywood
Legislative Round-Up
Today is the final opportunity for California lawmakers to propose new legislation. Larry talks with Mike Montgomery, of Capitol Public Radio, and political analyst, Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, about many of the proposals and the highly charged social issues raised by some.
Central Valley Project Water Contracts Renewed
Over 200 water contracts negotiated with San Joaquin Valley farmers decades ago have been renewed by the federal government. Farmers will continue to buy water at rates well below market value for at least the next 25 years. Environmentalists are outraged, saying that more water should have been allocated to environmental projects. They also fear farmers may sell their water to cities rather than use it. The federal government says the contracts had to be renewed by law, and that checks and balances are in place to prevent farmers from getting rich on water sales. Jeff McKracken, Public Affairs Director for the Central Valley Project, Bennett Raley, Former Assistant Secretary of Water and Science for the Department of Interior, and Barry Nelson, Senior Policy Analyst for the NRDC, join Larry to discuss the new water contracts.
Israel to Evict Settlers in Gaza and West Bank
On Sunday the Israeli cabinet voted to remove over 18,000 settlers from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank. Residents have 5 months to leave. This would be the first withdrawal of Jewish settlers in these areas since the lands were taken from Palestinians in 1967. Israeli police plan to disarm settlers prior to the eviction deadline, expecting resistance. Larry Mantle talks with Christian Science Monitor correspondent Ben Lynfied, and David Makovsky, senior fellow and director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Process at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, about what this means for peace in the region.
The Other Hollywood
The adult film industry is a $10 billion-per-year business that has infiltrated the American mainstream with porn stars like Jenna Jameson and Traci Lords becoming household names. What most people don’t know is how the industry got started --- with a $22,000 mafia investment in a film called "Deep Throat" --- or how it mushroomed over the next quarter century, despite efforts by the FBI, politicians and others to bring it down. Larry Mantle speaks with Legs McNeil and Jennifer Osborne, co-authors of The Other Hollywood, a history of the porn film industry. Joining the conversation also is Jane Hamilton, AKA "Veronica Hart", producer/director at VCA pictures, and Dr. Sharon Mitchell, Executive Director of AIM Healthcare, the Adult Industry Medical Health Care Center/Foundation.