Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has taken a major step in his plan to assume control of the troubled Los Angeles Unified School District. According to a draft district takeover proposal released yesterday, the mayor and his advisors are considering several sweeping changes, including extending the academic year, slashing 3,000 bureaucracy staff positions, and keeping students in class until 5pm. Host Patt Morrison talks about the emerging details with Joel Rubin, reporter covering the story for the LA Times; and gets reaction from Superintendent Roy Romer and A.J. Duffy, president, United Teachers Los Angeles.
The United Farm Workers of America and Global Horizons of Los Angeles, one of the nation's largest recruiters of foreign workers, have reached an unprecedented labor agreement to improve wages, benefits and working conditions for guest workers brought to the United States for farm work. Host Patt Morrison talks with Tanis Ybarra, Secretary Treasurer, United Farm Workers Union; Mordechai Orian, President and Chief Strategic Officer; and Phil Martin, Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California Davis, about the significance of this pact and what it might mean to the ongoing immigration debate.
Randy Harvey returns to the LA Times as their new sports editor, coming from a two-year stint for the Baltimore Sun in that position. He joins Patt in studio to talk about his plans for this very popular section of the paper.
Patt Morrison is known for its innovative discussions of local politics and culture, as well as its presentation of the effects of national and world news on Southern California.
