3/16/01

LC010316

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> THE LATEST METHOD OF TEACHING YOUNGSTERS TO READ IS EITHER A SILVER BULLET OR A MISGUIDED GIMMICK.

PHILIP BRUCE>> IN THE BATTLE TO BOOST LOW READING TEST SCORES, THE L.A. UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TURNED TO A PROGRAM PUBLISHED BY SRA MCGRAW-HILL CALLED "OPEN COURT".

GENETHIA HUDLEY HAYES>> SO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I AM A BIG FAN OF THE PROGRAM. I DO NOT THINK THAT ANY READING PROGRAM, HOWEVER, IS A PANACEA.

VAL>> AND POLITICAL HEADLINES HOT OFF THE PRESS FROM MADDOX & HEWITT.

KERMAN>> REMEMBER THAT NICE WARM FRIENDLY MAYOR'S RACE? WELL, IT JUST GOT UGLY.

HUGH>> AND REMEMBER THE NAME DELGADILLO. HE IS LIKELY TO BE THE CITY OF ANGELS' NEXT POWERFUL CITY ATTORNEY.

KERMAN>> ALL THAT AND MORE COMING UP ON MADDOX & HEWITT.

JESS>> AND THE SAGA OF THE UNLIKELY MILLIONAIRE. BORN IN NORTH DAKOTA DURING THE DEPRESSION, GROWING UP IN COMPTON DURING THE DEPRESSION, HE NEVER WENT TO COLLEGE, BUT STARTED A BUSINESS IN HIS GARAGE. TODAY HE IS ONE OF ORANGE COUNTY'S WEALTHIEST RESIDENTS AND SAYS THE BEST PART OF BEING RICH IS GIVING HIS MONEY AWAY. WE'LL BRING YOU STORY OF PHILANTHROPIST, JOHN CREAN.

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW. OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT, OPEN COURT READING. IT'S A CONTROVERSIAL READING SYSTEM ADOPTED BY LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOLS AND SOME OF ITS STRONGEST CRITICS ARE TEACHERS.

VAL>> THE BIGGEST RAP AGAINST THE OPEN COURT PROGRAM IS THAT IT IS TOO PROGRAMMED WITH A STANDARDIZED SCHEDULE FOR NEARLY EVERY MINUTE OF CLASSROOM TIME. AND AS PHILIP BRUCE REPORTS, EVERY CHILD DOESN'T COME WITH STANDARD SKILLS.

KIM TODD>> AND WHAT'S HE SAYING? "U". VERY GOOD. OKAY, TODAY WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW SOME OF THE SOUNDS FOR "U".

PHILIP>> THESE STUDENTS IN KIM TODD'S FIRST GRADE CLASSROOM AT VALERIO PRIMARY CENTER ARE LEARNING ALL ABOUT SOUNDS AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF COMPANY. IN A BATTLE TO IMPROVE READING TEST SCORES, THE L.A. UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TURNED TO A PROGRAM PUBLISHED BY SRA MCGRAW-HILL CALLED "OPEN COURT".

KIM TODD>> IT'S THE BEST PHONICS PROGRAM OUT THERE. ARE THE CHILDREN LEARNING PHONICS? DEFINITELY.

PHILIP>> THIS YEAR IN 360 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, EVERY KINDERGARTEN, FIRST AND SECOND GRADE CHILD IS LEARNING TO READ USING OPEN COURT MATERIALS AND THE PROGRAM WILL MOVE INTO THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE NEXT YEAR. THE PROGRAM COMES WITH SPECIFIC DAY-BY-DAY GUIDES FOR TEACHING THE OPEN COURT WAY AND MANY BELIEVE IT'S THE BEST CHANCE OF TEACHING KIDS TO READ.

MARINA HENDERSON>> YOU SEE THESE LETTERS? WHAT SOUND DOES THAT MAKE?

PHILIP>> WEEMS ELEMENTARY PHASED IN OPEN COURT ON ITS OWN A FEW YEARS BACK. MARINA HENDERSON IS A SECOND GRADE TEACHER.

MARINA HENDERSON>> MY KIDS COME TO ME IN SECOND GRADE VERY PREPARED AND I CAN REALLY START WORKING ON THE SECOND GRADE SKILLS THAT THEY NEED TO DO IN SECOND GRADE, SO THEY HAVE A BIG HEAD START.

PHILIP>> WEEMS PRINCIPAL, ANNETTE KESSLER, STRONGLY BACKS OPEN COURT.

ANNETTE KESSLER>> I CAN WALK INTO A CLASSROOM AND SEE THE CHILDREN ENGAGED AS I HAVE NOT SEEN THEM BEFORE. AS A PRINCIPAL, I ALWAYS WANTED A CONSISTENT PROGRAM. WHEN I CAME HERE, EVERYBODY WAS DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND THE KIDS WERE NOT LEARNING. AT THAT TIME, I WAS JUST MORE CONCERNED WITH GETTING A CONSISTENT PROGRAM REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT WAS. THE FACT THAT WE CHOSE OPEN COURT AND THEN OPEN COURT BECAME THE ONE THAT THE DISTRICT CHOSE WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR US AND IT VALIDATED WHAT WE HAD DONE.

PHILIP>> BUT NOT EVERYONE IS SO PLEASED. KIM TODD, WHO'S BEEN TEACHING FOR 20 YEARS, SAYS THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH OPEN COURT.

KIM TODD>> WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FOLLOWING THAT MANUAL? IT HAS A LOT OF HOLES IN IT. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH READING OF TEXT BY THE CHILDREN.

PHILIP>> TODD ALSO CONTENDS THAT OPEN COURT DOESN'T PAY ENOUGH ATTENTION TO READING COMPREHENSION.

KIM TODD>> THEY CAN SAY THE WORD, BUT THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT MEANS.

GIVE ME A SENTENCE OR TELL ME WHAT IT MEANS, THE WORD HUMOR. HUMOR. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

STUDENT>> MY FRIEND HAS A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR.

KIM TODD>> EXCELLENT SENTENCE. MY FRIEND HAS A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR. CAN YOU TELL SOMEBODY THAT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

STUDENT>> HE'S GOOD OF SMELLING.

KIM TODD>> HUMOR IS WHEN SOMEBODY LIKES TO JOKE ABOUT THINGS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S FUNNY. IF HE HAS A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR, HE TELLS GOOD JOKES.

THEY PRETTY MUCH TELL US TO STICK TO THE PROGRAM, STAY ON THE RIGHT PAGE, STAY ON THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE EVERYBODY IS SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE SAME TIME. I DON'T THINK -- WHEN YOU SEE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING MISSING, YOU'VE GOT TO FILL IT IN WITH BETTER TEACHING STRATEGIES.

PHILIP>> CAL STATE L.A. COLLEGE OF EDUCATION PROFESSOR, MARGARET MOUSTAFA, IS A MAJOR CRITIC OF OPEN COURT.

MARGARET MOUSTAFA>> THE WAY OPEN COURT IS NOW BEING IMPLEMENTED IN CALIFORNIA AND THOSE DISTRICTS THAT HAVE ADOPTED IT DISTRICT-WIDE IS, THE TEACHERS DON'T HAVE ANY DISCRETION. THEY HAVE TO USE THE PROGRAM LOCKSTEP, REGARDLESS OF THE CHILDREN'S NEEDS.

PHILIP>> BUT THE PRINCIPAL OF WEEMS DEFENDS OPEN COURT.

ANNETTE KESSLER>> THE PROGRAM HAS A WONDERFUL COMPREHENSION COMPONENT. THE STORIES ARE TERRIFIC. WHAT HAPPENS WITH ANYTHING NEW, PEOPLE GET TO BE RIGID AND YOU CAN'T BE RIGID.

PHILIP>> THE ARGUMENTS ABOUT OPEN COURT GO BACK AND FORTH. BESIDES COMPREHENSION, IS THERE ENOUGH WRITING? ARE ENGLISH LEARNERS WELL-SERVED BY THE PROGRAM? AND WHAT ABOUT THE LITERACY COACHES? THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HELP SHOW TEACHERS HOW TO USE OPEN COURT.

GINA AYLES>> WHAT'S AT THE END? OH, SAY IT AGAIN. OH, SUPER JOB. EXCELLENT.

PHILIP>> VALERIO'S COACH, GINA AYLES, HAS BEEN WELL-RECEIVED, BUT AT SOME OTHER SCHOOLS, THE COACHES ARE NOT POPULAR AND THEY'VE BECOME KNOWN AS THE OPEN COURT POLICE. SOME PRINCIPALS WE CONTACTED FOR THIS REPORT ASKED THAT THEIR SCHOOLS NOT BE INCLUDED. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE SEEN QUESTIONING THE DISTRICT DECISION TO GO WITH OPEN COURT. BUT ONE PERSON WHO WAS EAGER TO HAVE HIS NEGATIVE VIEWS KNOWN IS SHERIDAN ELEMENTARY KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, JOHN CROMSHOW.

JOHN CROMSHOW>> I THINK TEACHERS FEEL THAT IT'S BURDENSOME, THAT IT REDUCES THEIR CREATIVITY, THAT IT PUTS THE CHILDREN IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION OF HAVING TO LISTEN TO ESSENTIALLY BORING MATERIAL WHERE IT IS PRESENTED AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.

PHILIP>> AS THE ARGUING OVER OPEN COURT CONTINUES, SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT, GENETHIA HUDLEY HAYES, REMAINS A FIRM BACKER. SHE USED THE PROGRAM WHEN SHE WAS PRINCIPAL OF AN EPISCOPAL DAY SCHOOL AND WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE RESULTS.

GENETHIA HUDLEY HAYES>> SO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I AM A BIG FAN OF THE PROGRAM. I DO NOT THINK THAT ANY READING PROGRAM, HOWEVER, IS A PANACEA FOR TEACHERS WHO NEED TO HAVE AS MUCH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AS THEY CAN TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO DELIVER READING INSTRUCTION IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. BUT I THINK OPEN COURT IS A GOOD START.

PHILIP>> SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, VICKI CASTRO, WORRIES ABOUT THE FIT BETWEEN OPEN COURT AND THOSE WHO ARE LEARNING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND SHE WONDERS ABOUT THE DOLLARS GOING TO THE PUBLISHER.

VICKI CASTRO>> FOR US TO SELECT BASICALLY ONE READING SERIES, TALK ABOUT THAT PUBLISHER GOING TO HEAVEN AND THINKING THEY'VE HIT IT BIG. THERE'S NOT ONLY THE INSTRUCTIONAL, BUT ALSO IS THAT GOOD BUSINESS FOR L.A. UNIFIED TO BASICALLY GIVE A MONOPOLY CONTRACT FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO ONE PUBLISHER?

PHILIP>> EVEN CRITICS SAY THAT, IN THE SHORT-TERM, TEST SCORES WILL LIKELY GO UP AS A RESULT OF OPEN COURT, BUT IT WILL BE MANY YEARS BEFORE WE KNOW WHETHER THE PROGRAM WILL MAKE A SERIOUS DIFFERENCE IN TURNING KIDS INTO READERS. IN LOS ANGELES, I'M PHILIP BRUCE FOR LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> SO THE JURY IS OUT ON THE TEST SCORES --

JESS>> -- AND FOR A LONG TIME APPARENTLY. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> FOR QUITE A WHILE. WHAT'S VERY CLEAR, THOUGH, IS THE MONEY THAT'S GOING TO THE PUBLISHER OF THIS OPEN COURT PROGRAM. IT COMES TO $5,000 FOR FIRST GRADE ALONE PER CLASSROOM. SO $5,000 TIMES 360 SCHOOLS -- WHEW, PUBLISHER'S DOING FINE. (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> BONANZA.

VAL>> REALLY.

JESS>> OUR TOP STORY ON MONDAY. HUMAN SLAVERY IS A MODERN-DAY FACT OF LIFE RIGHT HERE AND NOT SOMETHING THAT TAKES PLACE IN SOME REMOTE CORNER OF THE PLANET.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> L.A., WITH ITS IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND COMMERCIAL LINKS TO ASIA AND LATIN AMERICA, IS CONSIDERED A CROSSROADS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SLAVE TRADE.

>> WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IN THIS COUNTRY IS A MODERN FORM OF SLAVERY. IN MANY WAYS, IT PARALLELS THE SAME EXPERIENCE THAT THE VICTIMS FELT IN THE ANTEBELLUM DAYS OF THE SOUTH.

JESS>> THE L.A. CONNECTION IN HUMAN SLAVERY. THAT'S MONDAY AT 7:00 HERE ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

WHO'S UP AND WHO'S DOWN IN THE LOS ANGELES MAYOR'S RACE? WE GOT THE LATEST POLITICAL NEWS IN THIS WEEK'S MADDOX & HEWITT. IT HAS TURNED UGLY, HASN'T IT?

KERMAN>> IT HAS. THE FIRST QUESTION YOU ASKED, WHO'S UP AND WHO'S DOWN? THE LATEST POLL, ACCORDING TO EVERYBODY, THE L.A. TIMES AND OTHERS, SAYS JIMMY HAHN IS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE. I THINK MOST BELIEVE HE'S A LOCK. THE QUESTION IS, WHO'S GOING TO BE IN SECOND PLACE? IS IT GOING TO BE ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA? IS IT GOING TO BE JOEL WACHS? IS IT GOING TO BE STEVE SOBOROFF?

JESS>> AND PRESUMES A RUNOFF?

KERMAN>> THERE IS GOING TO BE A RUNOFF. WELL, WHAT HAPPENED IS, THIS WEEK, WITHIN THE LAST 48 HOURS, IT GOT REALLY UGLY. THE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY SENT OUT A MAILER TO ABOUT 120,000 VOTERS, MOST REPUBLICANS OBVIOUSLY, AND IT WAS AN ABSENTEE BALLOT MAILER. THEY BASICALLY ATTACKED JIMMY HAHN, ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA AND JOEL WACHS. IT'S THIS CLASSIC INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE CAMPAIGN.

THEY BASICALLY SAID JIMMY HAHN HAS CLOSE TIES TO MAXINE WATERS WHO HAD SYMPATHY FOR THE RIOTERS IN 1992. THEY ATTACKED JOEL WACHS AS SOMEONE WHO VOTED AGAINST PROPOSITION 13 BACK IN 1978, WHICH IS THE MEASURE TO REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES. AND THEY ALSO ATTACKED ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA FOR A SLUSH FUND AND BASICALLY THE LETTER HE SENT OUT PARDONING CARLOS VIGNALI. THEY SAID HE DID SOMETHING TO RELEASE A "DRUG KINGPIN". SO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE DEMOCRATS IN THE RACE ARE UPSET BECAUSE THEY THINK THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, ONCE AGAIN, HAS STOOPED LOW AND WE ALL THOUGHT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WAS A NEW, KINDER, GENTLER REPUBLICAN PARTY.

HUGH>> WELL, AS HENRY KISSINGER USED TO SAY, "ALL OF THOSE CHARGES HAVE THE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF BEING TRUE". EACH ONE OF THEM HAD AT LEAST A KERNEL. PROBABLY THE VILLARAIGOSA HIT WAS THE CHEAPEST SHOT WITH REGARD TO THE SLUSH FUND, THOUGH HE DID INTERVENE A HALF DOZEN YEARS AGO ON BEHALF OF THE VIGNALI PARDON APPLICATION.

THE STUFF ABOUT JOEL WACHS, HE DID OPPOSE PROP 13 AND JOEL WOULDN'T DENY THAT. HE'S CHANGED HIS WAYS A LOT. HE'S BECOME KIND OF A DEFENDER OF THE PUBLIC FISC SINCE THEN, BUT HE DID OPPOSE PROP 13. SO IF YOU LIKED PROP 13, YOU CAN'T VOTE FOR JOEL WACHS.

AS FOR JIMMY HAHN, WELL, HE'S SO FAR AHEAD, IT DOESN'T MATTER. WHAT SOBOROFF IS DOING IS TRYING TO GET INTO THAT NUMBER TWO SLOT. WHAT I THINK IS INTERESTING IS THAT JIMMY HAHN DIDN'T YELL TOO LOUDLY BECAUSE JIMMY HAHN WANTS TO BE IN A RUNOFF WITH STEVE SOBOROFF --

KERMAN>> -- YES, HE DOES.

HUGH>> THE GUY HE'S AFRAID OF HAS GOT TO BE VILLARAIGOSA. HE'S GOT TO BE AFRAID OF THE EAST SIDE AND THE LATINO VOTE COMING TOGETHER AGAINST HIM. SO YOU DON'T HEAR JIMMY HAHN TOO UPSET THAT STEVE SOBOROFF IS TAKING EVERYONE DOWN A NOTCH. WHAT I FOUND VERY INTERESTING --

JESS>> -- WELL, NOW, YOU'RE ASSUMING THAT STEVE SOBOROFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS LETTER?

HUGH>> YEAH. I'M SURE THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WOULD NOT RUN THIS WITHOUT STEVE SOBOROFF'S AT LEAST COMPLICIT CONSENT TO IT. ABSOLUTELY.

KERMAN>> NOW THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO STEVE SOBOROFF'S SPOKESPERSON IN THE PAPER, HE SAYS HE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, NOT GOING TO CONDONE IT, GOING TO DISASSOCIATE MYSELF FROM IT, DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT --

HUGH>> -- THAT'S CLINTONIAN, THAT'S CLINTONIAN. IT'S WRONG.

KERMAN>> ALL THE OTHER CANDIDATES HAVE ASKED STEVE TO DO SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE, BASICALLY DISAVOW THE MAILER, DISASSOCIATE YOURSELF FROM THE MAILER. SOBOROFF HAS SAID HE WON'T DO IT. I THINK THIS IS CRITICAL. I THINK WHAT HE HAS DONE NOW, HUGH, IF HE DOESN'T DISASSOCIATE HIMSELF FROM THE MAILER, I THINK THIS IS A MISTAKE THAT WILL COST HIM A SLOT IN THE RUNOFF.

HUGH>> WELL, I DON'T THINK SO BECAUSE NOWADAYS EVERYONE'S USED TO THIS. IT'S NOT LIKE ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA --

KERMAN>> -- AW.

HUGH>> NO, WHEN ANTONIO WAS SPEAKER AT CALIFORNIA, THEY DID SOME PRETTY NASTY STUFF UP IN SACRAMENTO VIS-À-VIS REPUBLICANS. IT'S PART OF THE PRICE OF ADMISSION TO THE TICKET AND THE REPUBLICANS AREN'T GOING TO CARE AND SOBOROFF WANTS TO WIN REPUBLICAN VOTES. IT MIGHT HURT HIM IN THE RUNOFF, BUT HE'S NOT GOING TO BEAT JIMMY HAHN ANYWAY.

JESS>> WELL, NOW WAIT, THIS IS A NONPARTISAN RACE, REMEMBER?

HUGH>> OH, NONPARTISAN, JESS. THESE GUYS --

KERMAN>> -- YES, THEORETICALLY, IT IS A NONPARTISAN RACE --

HUGH>> -- THE ONLY --

KERMAN>> -- WHAT HAPPENS, THESE INDEPENDENT COMMITTEES GET INVOLVED. THE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO DO IT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES AND THE REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO DO IT. THE PROBLEM IS, THOUGH, STEVE IS TRYING TO RUN THIS "I'M NOT A POLITICIAN, I'M A PROBLEM SOLVER" KIND OF ABOVE-THE-FRAY KIND OF CAMPAIGN AND I THINK IT BACKFIRES WHEN YOU DO STUFF LIKE THIS.

HUGH>> WELL, IF ANYONE WAS -- NONPARTISAN RACE, IF IT'S JIMMY HAHN AND STEVE SOBOROFF, IT WILL BE A NON-INTERESTING RACE. IT WILL BE THE DULLEST DAMN THING I'VE SEEN IN TEN YEARS OF COVERING POLITICS IN THIS TOWN. BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE VILLARAIGOSA PROFILE BECAUSE I READ THIS THING AND MY EYES KEEP GETTING WIDER, WIDER AND WIDER --

JESS>> -- IN THE L.A. TIMES, YEAH.

HUGH>> FIRST, I'VE KNOWN ANTONIO FOR A HALF DOZEN YEARS, SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS. I DON'T THINK IT'S PARTICULARLY RELEVANT, BUT ALL AT ONCE, THE FACT THAT HE HAD MARITAL PROBLEMS LINKED TO INFIDELITY, THE FACT THAT HE HAD TWO KIDS OUT OF WEDLOCK BEFORE HE WAS 21, THE FACT THAT HE HAD THIS ARREST. I DIDN'T KNOW ANY OF THIS STUFF. WHAT ARE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT IN THIS L.A. TIMES HIT PIECE?

KERMAN>> WELL, WHAT HAPPENED IS, THE L.A. TIMES, OF COURSE, HAD DONE A PROFILE OF THE SIX LEADING CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR. TODAY THEY DID A PROFILE ON ANTONIO AND I GOT TO AGREE WITH YOU THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THE PROFILE I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT. I DON'T THINK THE PROFILE CAN HELP HIM AT ALL.

JESS>> COULD THE TIMES HAVE DONE THE PROFILE WITHOUT PUTTING THOSE RELEVANT FACTS IN IT?

HUGH>> ABSOLUTELY. YOU SEE, I THINK THIS IS A HIT PIECE BY THE L.A. TIMES ON THE LATINO CANDIDATE.

JESS>> REALLY?

HUGH>> I THINK THAT THEY HAVE A VERY ILL-DISGUISED PREFERENCE FOR JIMMY HAHN IN THIS RACE AND THAT THEY ARE VERY MUCH SWINGING AGAINST ANTONIO. THIS IS OLD, OLD NEWS. I MEAN, THE STUFF ABOUT KIDS FROM 25 OR 30 YEARS AGO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT RELEVANCE THAT HAS TO BEING THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES AND THERE WERE NO DETAILS ON THE ALLEGED INFIDELITY. SO WHO'S TO KNOW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT? I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY IRRESPONSIBLE PIECE OF JOURNALISM. WHAT DID YOU THINK?

KERMAN>> WELL, FOR PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA, THEY COULDN'T BE HAPPY. I THINK THEY COULD HAVE DONE THE PROFILE, JESS, WITHOUT MENTIONING SOME OF THAT STUFF, SO I'M GOING TO AGREE WITH HIM ON THAT. I THINK WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS, YOU WANT TO DO A PROFILE AND YOU WANT TO GIVE THE VIEWER A CERTAIN SENSE -- OR THE READER -- OF THEIR BACKGROUND AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IF THEY'RE ELECTED MAYOR, BUT I'M NOT SURE ALL THAT PERSONAL STUFF AND ALL THESE PERSONAL PROBLEMS ARE NECESSARY IN A PROFILE.

HUGH>> HAVE YOU SEEN A HABIT ON THE PART OF THE TIMES? THEY'VE GONE AFTER ANTONIO IN THE XAVIER BECERRA PIECE. THEY'VE GONE AFTER ANTONIO TODAY. THEY HAVE NEVER COME OUT WITH ANY KIND OF FAVORABLE PRESS FOR THE GUY. I THINK THEY HAVE IT IN FOR HIM OVER THERE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S RELATED TO THE LABOR STUFF OR NOT, BUT THE L.A. TIMES HAS A CHECKERED PAST WHEN IT COMES TO THE LABOR CANDIDATES IN THIS TOWN.

KERMAN>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAVE GONE AFTER ANTONIO AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BEING AGAINST LABOR CANDIDATES, BUT I DID THINK THIS PARTICULAR PROFILE WAS NOT FLATTERING AND I THINK THEY COULD HAVE LEFT OUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

HUGH>> QUICK NOTE. DELGADILLO. HAVE YOU EVER MET THIS GUY, JESS?

JESS>> YES, OH, YES.

HUGH>> I THINK HE'S A COMER. I WANTED TO ASK KERMAN BECAUSE RUNNING ITS MIKE HERE AND SOME LADY I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT --

KERMAN>> -- LEA D'AGOSTINO.

HUGH>> -- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DELGADILLO HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEK OR THE WEEK THEREAFTER. HOW IS THIS RACE SHAKING OUT? IS ROCKY DELGADILLO THE DARK HORSE THAT'S CREEPING UP REAL QUICK?

JESS>> FOR CITY ATTORNEY.

HUGH>> YES.

KERMAN>> WELL, I THINK -- THIS IS THE RACE FOR CITY ATTORNEY. EVERYBODY AGREES THAT MIKE FEUER IS THE FRONT RUNNER, BUT ROCKY DELGADILLO IS RIGHT THERE IN ALL THE POLLS AND LEA D'AGOSTINO, WHO YOU DON'T HEAR A LOT ABOUT AND WHO'S ON TV RIGHT NOW, IS RIGHT BELOW ROCKY. THE THING ROCKY HAS GOING FOR HIM, HUGH AND JESS, IS HE HAS A TON OF MONEY. HE'S GOT BILLBOARDS ALL OVER THE CITY, THE ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO INDUSTRY ARE BACKING HIM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT MORE BILLBOARDS ALL OVER THE CITY. MICHAEL FEUER, OF COURSE, IS AGAINST HIM. THIS IS A VERY, VERY CLOSE RACE. GOING TO BE A RUNOFF.

HUGH>> WE'LL SEE HIM HERE NEXT WEEK, I HOPE.

KERMAN>> YEAH.

JESS>> GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TIME NOW TO HEAR WHAT YOU, OUR VIEWERS, HAVE TO SAY ABOUT OUR BROADCASTS. LAST NIGHT, WE REPORTED ON THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROTEST AT UCLA WHERE STUDENTS TOOK OVER A BUILDING AND FORCED THE CANCELLATION OF A SCHEDULED MAYORAL DEBATE. SAMUEL HANNA OF HUNTINGTON BEACH WRITES:

"IF THOSE KIDS WOULD SPEND HALF THAT ENERGY STUDYING INSTEAD OF TRYING TO LOWER THE ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION, THEY WOULD NOT NEED LOWER STANDARDS. SOME KIDS CHOOSE TO STUDY AND THOSE DESERVE AND WILL SUCCEED IN HIGHER EDUCATION."

VAL>> AND DAN BAGOTT SENT US THIS E-MAIL TO SET BOTH THE RECORD AND OUR RESIDENT LITERARY EXPERT STRAIGHT. HE WRITES:

"THIS REFERS TO THE QUOTATION ATTRIBUTED BY PATT MORRISON TO P.T. BARNUM ON THE TUESDAY, MARCH 13 PROGRAM."

PATT>> AS P.T. BARNUM SAYS, "THIS WAY TO THE EGRESS". AS BARNUM ALSO SAID, "NO ONE EVER WENT BROKE UNDERESTIMATING THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC."

VAL>> BAGOTT CONTINUES. HE WRITES:

"IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT BARNUM MIGHT HAVE UTTERED, BUT ITS ACTUAL SOURCE WAS THE LONG-AGO BALTIMORE SUN COLUMNIST, H.L. MENCKEN, THE SAGE OF BALTIMORE."

VAL>> WE ALWAYS WELCOME YOUR THOUGHTS, COMMENTS OR CORRECTIONS ON THE PROGRAM. HERE ARE THE WAYS YOU CAN REACH US:

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG.
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

JESS>> IN TONIGHT'S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS, THERE IS NOTHING IN JOHN CREAN'S BACKGROUND THAT WOULD PREDICT HIS AMAZING SUCCESSES. HIS FAMILY WAS POOR, HE DIDN'T GO TO COLLEGE AND, WHEN HE WAS YOUNG, HE STRUGGLED WITH ALCOHOL.

VAL>> BUT JOHN CREAN IS NOW A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE AND ONE OF ORANGE COUNTY'S BEST-KNOWN PHILANTHROPISTS. I TALKED WITH HIM RECENTLY ABOUT HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT.

JOHN CREAN, WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

JOHN CREAN>> HI, VAL.

VAL>> JOHN CREAN IS ONE OF ORANGE COUNTY'S WEALTHIEST RESIDENTS AND ALSO ONE OF ITS MOST GENEROUS. HE'S A SELF-MADE MULTI-MILLIONAIRE. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THE COMPANY HE STARTED: FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES.

JOHN CREAN>> WE MAKE MOTOR HOMES, WE MAKE TRAVEL TRAILERS, WE MAKE MOBILE HOMES. THEY GOT A NEW NAME FOR THEM NOW, BUT THEY'RE REGULAR HOMES.

VAL>> AND IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS, BUT YOU DIDN'T REALLY SET OUT TO SAY "I'M GOING TO BE A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE."

JOHN CREAN>> NOT AT ALL, NO, NO.

VAL>> BUT IT SURE ENDED UP THAT WAY. THIS IS HIS FIVE-ACRE ESTATE IN NEWPORT BEACH. WHEN CREAN RETIRED AT THE AGE OF 69, HE CASHED OUT HIS FLEETWOOD STOCK WHICH WAS MORE THAN $175 MILLION DOLLARS. NOT BAD FOR A COMPTON BOY GROWING UP DURING THE DEPRESSION.

JOHN CREAN>> MY FATHER WAS ILL WHEN I WAS GROWING UP. HE COULDN'T WORK. AND MY MOTHER BUSED INTO LOS ANGELES AND WORKED IN A SEWING ROOM FOR TWO BUCKS A DAY AND IT COST HER 35 CENTS FOR BUS FARE. BUT, YOU KNOW, AS A KID DURING THE DEPRESSION, IT DIDN'T BOTHER ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ANY DIFFERENT.

VAL>> JOHN WAS A SKINNY HIGH SCHOOL KID WITH MEDIOCRE GRADES, BUT HE HAD A KNACK FOR MODEL PLANES AND DESIGNING THINGS. WHEN THE WAR CAME ALONG, JOHN DID HIS STINT IN THE NAVY AND THE MERCHANT MARINES WHERE HE PARTIED HARD AND ACQUIRED A SERIOUS DRINKING PROBLEM. AFTER THE WAR, JOHN TOOK AN ASSEMBLY-LINE JOB IN COMPTON BUILDING TRAILERS. HOUSING WAS IN SHORT SUPPLY AFTER THE WAR AND TRAILERS WERE IN HIGH DEMAND AND, WITHIN SIX MONTHS, JOHN CREAN WAS IN CHARGE OF THE WHOLE SHOP.

IN 1948, HE MARRIED DONNA MAY SETTERSTROM. SOON THE FIRST OF FOUR CHILDREN WERE BORN, BUT HIS ALCOHOLISM CONTINUED, MAKING HIS LIFE A MESS. IN 1950, A FRIEND TOOK HIM TO AN AA MEETING AND, THAT YEAR, HE TOOK HIS LAST DRINK. THAT WAS ALSO THE YEAR HE STARTED FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES, DESIGNING AND BUILDING HIS OWN TRAILERS. IT TOOK OFF LIKE GANGBUSTERS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, JOHN CREAN MADE SOME BASIC MANAGEMENT MISTAKES AND, WITHIN FOUR YEARS, FLEETWOOD WAS $250,000 IN DEBT. STRANGELY, THIS WAS ALSO THE TIME THAT HE DECIDED PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE AUTOMATIC.

JOHN CREAN>> WHEN WE JOINED THAT LUTHERAN CHURCH, THEY HAD THESE PASTOR CLASSES WHERE THEY TEACH YOU ABOUT THE LUTHERAN RELIGION AND WHATNOT AND THEY GOT ON THIS SUBJECT OF TITHING. THEY SAID THAT, IF YOU GIVE TEN PERCENT OF YOUR INCOME OFF THE TOP, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET TEN TIMES THAT. WELL, I WAS ALWAYS PRETTY GOOD AT ARITHMETIC AND THAT SOUNDED PRETTY GOOD TO ME. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) NOW THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF THING THEY TEACH AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL.

JOHN CREAN>> PROBABLY NOT. NO, NO.

VAL>> AND I DON'T THINK IT WOULD FIT IN A CLASSIC BUSINESS PLAN. BUT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT REALLY CAUGHT YOUR IMAGINATION AND YOU REALLY SAID --

JOHN CREAN>> -- OH, IT REALLY, REALLY DID. ALTHOUGH THERE'S KIND OF A CATCH TO THAT. IF YOU GIVE EXPECTING TO GET SOMETHING BACK, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING.

VAL>> CREAN WAS DETERMINED NOT TO LET FLEETWOOD FAIL, SO HE HUNKERED DOWN, PAID OFF HIS CREDITORS AND, IN A YEAR, THE COMPANY HAD RECOVERED. IT WAS 1955 AND NOW THE COMPANY REALLY TOOK OFF BASED ON SOUND BUSINESS POLICIES: NEVER BORROW MONEY TO KEEP THE BUSINESS GOING, PROMOTE GOOD PEOPLE FROM WITHIN, SHARE PROFITS WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES, KEEP PRODUCTION JUST UNDER DEMAND AND DON'T SPEND ON ADVERTISING. INSTEAD, PUT THE MONEY INTO THE PRODUCT.

JOHN CREAN>> I WAS ALWAYS ANXIOUS TO GIVE THE MOST VALUE, WHICH I WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, AND THAT WAS ONE REASON WHY WE WOUND UP NUMBER ONE IN ALL FOUR FIELDS THAT WE OPERATED IN IN SALES. WHEN I RETIRED, WE WERE BUILDING 75,000 HOUSES A YEAR AND, OVER THE 48 YEARS, WE BUILT AS MANY HOUSES AS WOULD HOUSE THE POPULATION OF IRELAND.

VAL>> OVER THE NEXT 40 YEARS, JOHN CREAN WOULD TAKE FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES PUBLIC. WITH MILLIONS IN WALL STREET CAPITAL, HE EXPANDED FROM ONE PLANT TO 60, EVENTUALLY EMPLOYING 22,000 PEOPLE NATIONWIDE. TODAY, JOHN AND DONNA ENJOY THE GOOD LIFE. THEIR 30,000-SQUARE-FOOT HOME IS USED MORE FOR CHARITY FUNDRAISERS THAN DAY-TO-DAY LIVING. AND WHEN JOHN CREAN CASHED OUT HIS STOCK FOR NEARLY $177 MILLION DOLLARS, TRUE TO FORM, HE AND DONNA GAVE HALF OF IT AWAY. HE REMEMBERS HIS FATHER HAD THE SAME INCLINATION.

JOHN CREAN>> WELL, I WAS SPENDING THE SUMMER WHEN I WAS 13 OR 14 YEARS OLD UP ON THE KERN RIVER WITH MY DAD. WE WERE LIVING IN A TENT ALONGSIDE THE RIVER. ONE DAY WE WERE BUYING OUR SUPPLIES AND MY DAD WAS BUYING A LOT OF STUFF THAT I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE. I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IN THE WORLD HE WAS BUYING THAT STUFF FOR BECAUSE IT WAS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE USUALLY BOUGHT. WHEN WE WENT ON BACK DOWN TO THE CAMP, HE WENT INTO -- THERE WAS AN OLD SWISS LADY LIVED THERE THAT WAS REALLY POOR. SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING. SHE COULD HARDLY WALK. SHE HAD ARTHRITIS AND WAS REALLY CRIPPLED UP BAD. WE TOOK THIS BAG OF GROCERIES THAT HE BOUGHT AND PUT IT IN HER TENT. WE WENT AWAY AND I SAID, "WELL, DAD, DON'T YOU WANT TO LEAVE A NOTE OR SOMETHING TO LET HER KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM?" HE SAID, "NO, THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU DO IT, THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU DO IT."

VAL>> WOW, YOU MUST HAVE REALLY REMEMBERED THAT.

JOHN CREAN>> YEAH, YEAH. I KIND OF GET CHOKED UP A LITTLE BIT WHEN I THINK BACK ABOUT THAT.

VAL>> HE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH. YOU DIDN'T HAVE MUCH YOURSELF.

JOHN CREAN>> NO, HE DIDN'T HAVE NOTHING.

VAL>> SO WHAT -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH WEALTH BEING GENERATED NOW. WE'RE IN ONE OF THE MOST -- MANY PEOPLE SAY WE'RE IN ANOTHER GILDED AGE ALMOST. WE HAVE MANY, MANY PEOPLE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM IF YOU HAD TO CONVINCE THEM TO GIVE MORE OF IT AWAY? WHAT WOULD CONVINCE THEM?

JOHN CREAN>> OH, GOSH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CAN SAY. IT'S JUST PLAIN FUN. DONNA AND I JUST THOROUGHLY ENJOY IT. IT'S JUST A FUN THING.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> JOHN CREAN DEFINITELY KNOWS HOW TO HAVE FUN. AMONG HIS HOBBIES IS COOKING.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> HE ACHIEVED MINOR CELEBRITY ON A SHOW CALLED "AT HOME ON THE RANGE", ALONG WITH CO-HOST, BARBARA VENEZIA. JOHN SAYS IT LET HIS "INNER JULIA CHILD" COME OUT.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> BUT WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, A DEEPER PLEASURE, HE SAYS, COMES FROM BEING GENEROUS.

JOHN CREAN>> IF YOU GIVE JUST FOR THE JOY OF GIVING, YOU GET IT BACK TENFOLD. IN FACT, YOU GET IT BACK A LOT MORE THAN THAT.

VAL>> AND YOUR LIFE HAS ACTUALLY PROVEN THAT?

JOHN CREAN>> OH, MERCY, YES, YES. UH-HUH, YEAH.

VAL>> JOHN CREAN HAS PUT HIS LIFE STORY IN BOOK FORM. IT IS CALLED "THE WHEEL AND I" AND I'M SURE HE'D BE GLAD TO SELL IT TO YOU. BUT IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT, I'M SURE HE'D BE GLAD TO GIVE IT TO YOU. (LAUGHTER) DO YOU KNOW JOHN?

JESS>> DON'T KNOW HIM WELL. I'VE MET JOHN AND DONNA AND THEY'RE LEGENDARY IN ORANGE COUNTY FOR THEIR PHILANTHROPY AND ALSO FOR THEIR LIFESTYLE. IT'S INTERESTING. THAT COOKING SHOW IS TAPED IN HIS GARAGE AND, OF COURSE, HIS GARAGE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN YOURS AND MINE. BUT THEY HAVE A GREAT REPUTATION FOR BEING GENUINELY CHARITABLE, AN INDICATION THAT YOU CAN BE RICH AND BE REAL AT THE SAME TIME.

VAL>> HE IS DEFINITELY REAL. AND NOW HIS LATEST PROJECT IS HOUSING. HE'S BUILDING 132 HOMES OUT IN HEMET --

JESS>> -- AND HE'S CALLING IT "CREAN ACRES"? (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) CREAN ACRES. VERY AFFORDABLE. GREAT GUY.

JESS>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

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