3/14/02

LC020314

JESS>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

IT WAS ONCE SEALED OFF AS A TOXIC WASTELAND. NOW BELMONT HAS COME BACK FROM THE DEAD AS L.A.'S NEWEST AND MOST EXPENSIVE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

PENH TOR>> CLOSING THE PROJECT LIKE THAT, THAT HURT US. AND NOW THAT WE FIND OUT THAT IT CAN BE FINISHED, IT JUST MAKES THEM LOOK DUMB BECAUSE IF THEY DID THIS TWO YEARS AGO, THEN WE WOULD ALREADY HAVE THIS SCHOOL NOW.

JESS>> HE NEVER BELIEVED THE CRITICS WHO CLAIMED BELMONT WAS A TIME BOMB WAITING TO GO OFF. TONIGHT L.A. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, ROY ROMER, JOINS US LIVE TO TALK ABOUT BELMONT, BUDGET CUTS AND A CONTROVERSIAL NEW READING PROGRAM, PLUS HE'LL TAKE SOME OF YOUR CALLS.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS A NEW PLAN TO COLOR-CODE TERROR ALERTS, BUT SOMEHOW THEY NEGLECTED TO RUN IT BY PATT MORRISON.

PATT>> TERRORIST ALERTS, COLOR US BEMUSED, ON TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

JESS>> WHALE WATCHING. IT'S A FAVORITE SPRING RITUAL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, BUT WE'LL TREAT YOU TO A VIEW THAT YOU WON'T CATCH ON ANY SEASIDE CLIFF. IT'S INSIDE ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST COLLECTIONS OF WHALE BONES AT A PLACE AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS THE WHALE WAREHOUSE.

THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES.

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

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.

THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

JESS>> GOOD EVENING, I'M JESS MARLOW. VAL HAS THE NIGHT OFF.

IT ONCE WAS CHARACTERIZED AS A MASSIVE WASTE OF TAXPAYERS' MONEY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PULLED THE PLUG AFTER EXPERTS SAID THE PLACE MIGHT BLOW UP BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT ATOP A FIELD OF METHANE GAS, BUT NOW THAT'S HISTORY. THIS WEEK, THE LOS ANGELES SCHOOL BOARD DECIDED TO GO AHEAD WITH THE TROUBLED BELMONT LEARNING COMPLEX. TONIGHT A LOOK AT WHY THE DISTRICT CHANGED ITS MIND AND WHY THOSE SAFETY CONCERNS ARE NO LONGER A DEAL-BREAKER. HERE'S MORE FROM PHILIP BRUCE.

RUDY RAZO CHAVEZ>> HOW MANY STUDENTS SHOULD BE FIT IN THE SCHOOL RIGHT NOW?

>> 2,000?

RUDY RAZO CHAVEZ>> PROBABLY ABOUT 2,500 MAX. SO RIGHT NOW, THE SCHOOL IS OVER-PACKED. RIGHT NOW WITH THE STUDENTS HERE, YOU COULD FILL ALMOST WHAT? TWO SCHOOLS.

PHILIP>> RUDY RAZO CHAVEZ TEACHES ENGLISH, BUT HE AND HIS STUDENTS ALSO KNOW ALL ABOUT GEOMETRY AND THE FINE ART OF CRAMMING TOO MANY STUDENTS INTO THE DECREPIT OLD BELMONT HIGH SCHOOL. THIS WEEK, THOUGH, CHAVEZ AND THE KIDS FINALLY HAVE CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION. SOON THEY'LL BE GETTING A NEW SCHOOL.

>> MS. YOUNG?

CAPRICE YOUNG>> YES.

>> ITEM PASSES.

CAPRICE YOUNG>> THANK YOU. (APPLAUSE)

PHILIP>> THAT'S THE SOUND OF AN ABANDONED PROJECT BEING BROUGHT BACK FROM THE DEAD. THE VOTE WAS SIX TO ONE, A CLEAR MANDATE TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THE BELMONT LEARNING COMPLEX ON THE EDGE OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, A NEW SCHOOL THAT WILL REPLACE THE OLD BELMONT THAT CHAVEZ AND HIS STUDENTS NOW INHABIT.

THE DECISION MARKS A DRAMATIC TURNAROUND FOR THE DISTRICT, WHICH WALKED AWAY FROM THE CONSTRUCTION SITE TWO YEARS AGO WITH THE WORK ONLY HALF DONE. THE REASON? EXPLOSIVE METHANE GAS AND OTHER TOXINS FOUND RISING UP FROM THIS FORMER OILFIELD. BUT SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT, CAPRICE YOUNG, SAYS SHE'S NOW CONFIDENT THE SAFETY ISSUES CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY ADDRESSED.

CAPRICE YOUNG>> I FEEL STRONGLY, ALSO, THAT WITH THE HIGHLY COMPETENT PROFESSIONALS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD A SCHOOL THAT IS SAFE, THAT IS KEPT SAFE FOR THE LIFE OF THE SCHOOL, AND THAT IS A REALLY, REALLY BIG CHANGE FROM TWO YEARS AGO.

PHILIP>> BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING, CHAVEZ AND A GROUP OF STUDENTS MARCHED TO DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS HOPING THEY WOULDN'T BE DISAPPOINTED, AND THEIR WISHES CAME TRUE WHEN THE BELMONT LEARNING COMPLEX WAS RESURRECTED.

MICHELLE PADILLA>> I WAS SO HAPPY. AFTER SO LONG OF FIGHTING THIS, WE FINALLY GOT WHAT THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY NEEDS.

KATHERINE ALFARO>> I WAS VERY HAPPY BECAUSE I HAVE MY SISTER HERE THAT IS A FRESHMAN AND THEN I HAVE MY BROTHER THAT'S ABOUT TO GRADUATE FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE LIKE IN A CROWDED SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S HARD. FOR EXAMPLE, SOME PEOPLE GET HARASSED LIKE IN THE HALLWAYS BECAUSE IT'S SO CROWDED.

PHILIP>> NO ONE DENIES THAT THE STUDENTS DESERVE BETTER THAN THEY'VE BEEN GETTING. THAT APPLIES TO MORE THAN JUST CROWDED CLASSROOMS AND HALLWAYS. TAKE ACADEMICS. THE CURRENT BELMONT SCHOOL STANDS NEAR THE BOTTOM IN ACHIEVEMENT SCORES.

RUDY RAZO CHAVEZ>> I HAVE 45 STUDENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN ONE OF MY SENIOR CLASSES, WRITING CLASS, AND WHAT KIND OF AN EDUCATION CAN I REALLY HOPE TO GIVE, A SOUND EDUCATION?

PHILIP>> THE CROWDING PROBLEM ALSO CAUSES A BUSSING PROBLEM. HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS WHO SHOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND BELMONT ARE BUSSED ACROSS TOWN BECAUSE THERE'S NO ROOM.

PENH TOR>> I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE BUSSED LIKE AN HOUR AND A HALF AWAY TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND THEY TELL ME THAT IT'S HARD BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO WAKE UP LIKE AN HOUR EARLY, LIKE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE IN THE MORNING, JUST TO CATCH A BUS AT SIX AND BE AT SCHOOL BY SEVEN.

PHILIP>> BUSSING STUDENTS TO DISTANT AREAS IS THE BIGGEST CONCERN FOR NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVIST, GLORIA SOTO. SHE'S BEEN FIGHTING FOR THE BELMONT LEARNING COMPLEX FOR A DECADE. THIS WEEK'S DECISION BROUGHT HER TO TEARS.

GLORIA SOTO>> IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL MOMENT AND I WAS VERY SHOCKED WITH THE WAY THE VOTE WENT. I DID NOT EXPECT TO HAVE SIX VOTES. I REALLY WAS HOPING AT LEAST FOR FOUR, BUT I NEVER EXPECTED SIX.

PHILIP>> THOUGH THE BOARD BASED ITS ORIGINAL DECISION TO ABANDON THE PROJECT ON SAFETY CONCERNS, MANY IN THIS AREA DIDN'T BUY IT. THEY SAW IT AS AN INSULT TO THE COMMUNITY.

ROMEO GONZALEZ>> I THOUGHT IT WAS A RACIAL PROBLEM, THE FACT THAT, OKAY, IT'S THE MOST EXPENSIVE SCHOOL IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES. MY BELIEF WAS THAT, OKAY, OTHER SCHOOLS IN OTHER STATES ARE ACTUALLY COMPLAINING WHY DO THEY GET, YOU KNOW, A SCHOOL IF THEY'RE MINORITIES, YOU KNOW?

PHILIP>> MANY STUDENTS WONDER WHY THE BOARD DIDN'T FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FINISH THE NEW SCHOOL TWO YEARS AGO.

PENH TOR>> SOMETIMES THE MISTAKES THAT THEY MAKE HURT US, THE STUDENTS, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO SUFFER FROM WHAT THEY DO. HALTING THE PROJECT LIKE THAT, THAT HURT US. AND NOW THAT WE FIND OUT THAT IT CAN BE FINISHED, IT JUST MAKES THEM LOOK DUMB BECAUSE IF THEY DID THIS TWO YEARS AGO, THEN WE WOULD ALREADY HAVE THIS SCHOOL NOW.

PHILIP>> GLORIA SOTO HOPES SOME LESSONS HAVE BEEN LEARNED.

GLORIA SOTO>> I THINK THAT BELMONT, AS LONG AS IT'S TAKEN, HAS BECOME A PIONEER IN THE WAY WE NEED TO MONITOR THE BUILDING OF SCHOOLS SO THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYBODY ELSE.

PHILIP>> THOUGH THE NEW SCHOOL WILL BE TOO LATE FOR HER, PENH TOR IS LOOKING TO THE FUTURE. THE BELMONT SENIOR IS ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY.

PENH TOR>> WHEN MY BABY GETS TO START HIGH SCHOOL, I WANT HIM OR HER TO HAVE A SAFE HIGH SCHOOL TO GO TO AND ONE THAT'S NOT OVERCROWDED WHERE HE OR SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SITTING IN A CLASS WITH 45 OTHER STUDENTS TRYING TO LEARN.

JESS>> JOINING US NOW IS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, ROY ROMER. MR. ROMER, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

ROY ROMER>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

JESS>> SIX TO ONE VOTE. BIG CHANGE FROM THE EARLIER --

ROY ROMER>> -- REALLY WAS A BIG CHANGE. WHEN I CAME EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO, I THOUGHT I MIGHT GET FOUR, BUT NEVER SIX.

JESS>> BUT YOU HAD PRESSURE FROM THE COMMUNITY, CERTAINLY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY, AND THE STUDENTS, AND MAYOR HAHN HAS SIGNED ON TO IT NOW?

ROY ROMER>> AND THE CITY COUNCIL. AND YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED HERE IS WE GOT REASON REALLY TO LOOK AT IT AND GOT THE EMOTION OUT OF IT. WE PROVED YOU CAN DO IT SAFELY, IT'S COST-EFFECTIVE TO DO IT, IT'S LESS EXPENSIVE THAN MOVING AND BUILDING ANOTHER NEW ONE AND IT'S THE QUICKEST SEATS WE CAN GET. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE STUDENTS, WE REALLY NEED THIS SPACE, SO IT'S A VICTORY.

ONE OTHER THING, IT WILL HELP GET RID OF A KIND OF AN EYESORE, A CANCER IN OUR SIDE. L.A. HAS BEEN LOOKING AT THAT FOR SOME TIME AND I THINK NOW WE CAN SAY IT'S BEHIND US, LET'S LOOK TO THE FUTURE.

JESS>> WE HAVE A PHONE CALL NOW FROM JOE FROM EAST L.A. JOE, YOU'RE ON LIFE AND TIMES.

JOE>> YES, HOW YOU DOING? I'M A MEXICAN-AMERICAN, A CITIZEN OF LOS ANGELES, AND I AM DEEPLY OFFENDED THAT YOU WOULD PUT A SCHOOL ON TOP OF A TOXIC WASTE DUMP. I THINK, SIR, YOU SHOULD BE FIRED. I THINK EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD SHOULD BE FIRED FOR TAKING ADVANTAGE OF HISPANICS AND PUTTING A SCHOOL ON TOP OF A TOXIC WASTE DUMP. IT'S A TRAVESTY AND WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. IT'S KARMA. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PUTTING A SCHOOL OVER A WASTE DUMP. I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

ROY ROMER>> JOE, LET ME CORRECT YOU. IT'S NOT A TOXIC WASTE DUMP. IT'S NOT A WASTE DUMP AT ALL. IT'S AN OILFIELD AND WE CAN CONTROL ANY EMISSIONS FROM THAT OILFIELD. TO BE FRANK ABOUT IT, THE WHOLE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND ITS LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN WANTING THIS SCHOOL FOR SOME TIME, SO I JUST THINK THAT YOU GOT YOUR FACTS WRONG AND YOU DON'T REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY.

JESS>> BUT DON'T YOU THINK THAT ONE OF THE REASONS JOE FEELS THAT WAY IS BECAUSE WE IN MEDIA, FRANKLY, HAVE OFTEN TALKED ABOUT -- PARTICULARLY WHEN WE WERE CRITICAL OF THAT SITE BEING CHOSEN -- OFTEN TALKED ABOUT IT BEING BUILT ATOP A TOXIC LAKE?

ROY ROMER>> WELL, LOOK, I DIDN'T CHOOSE THE SITE, BUT IT IS A SAFE SITE. WE CAN MAKE IT SAFE. IT'S HARD TO GET SITES IN THIS TOWN. NOW THIS IS 35 ACRES AND WE CAN PUT A VERY, VERY GOOD SCHOOL COMPLEX ON IT. LET ME JUST SAY IT STRAIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE SOME BROWN-FIELD LAND AND CONVERT IT, CLEAN IT UP, MAKE IT SAFE AND PUT SCHOOLS ON IT. WHEN WE DO THAT, IT SAVES FROM THROWING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES.

WE'RE BUILDING 85 NEW SCHOOLS NOW AND, LET ME TELL YOU, WE NEED TO BUILD ANOTHER 85 ONCE WE GOT THOSE DONE. SO I WOULD SAY TO JOE AND TO ANYBODY OUT THERE, WE'RE DEDICATED TO TRY TO GET BETTER SPACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AT THE RIGHT PRICE AND IT'S GOING TO BE SAFE.

JESS>> LET'S TAKE ANOTHER CALL FROM JOHN FROM HOLLYWOOD. JOHN, YOU'RE ON LIFE AND TIMES.

JOHN>> HI, GOOD EVENING. MY QUESTION IS, WOULDN'T THE BUILDING OF THIS AND OTHER SCHOOLS IN LOS ANGELES BE CHEAPER IF THAT LARGE PROPORTION OF STUDENTS WHO ARE ILLEGALLY IN THE COUNTRY WERE RE-PATRIATED?

ROY ROMER>> YOU KNOW, LOOK, MY VIEW IS THAT, IF STUDENTS ARE HERE, WE OUGHT TO EDUCATE THEM. YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. L.A. LOVES TO HAVE THE PARTICIPATION OF THESE IMMIGRANTS IN THEIR ECONOMY. IF I GO TO A HOTEL OR A RESTAURANT OR A STORE, I SEE AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS THAT THIS ECONOMY SAYS WE WANT YOU BECAUSE WE WANT TO EMPLOY YOU. NOW I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO TAKE SOMEBODY'S SERVICES AND NOT EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN, NO MATTER WHERE THEY'RE FROM.

JESS>> YOU HAD THE STUDENT WHO COMPLAINED THAT THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS RACIST. THAT WAS THE REASON IT WASN'T COMPLETED.

ROY ROMER>> (LAUGHTER) NO, IT'S NOT RACIST. I THINK THERE WAS SOME TRUE FEAR BACK IN THAT TIME. I THINK THAT WE NOW HAVE A BETTER ABILITY TO BUILD IT SAFELY. WE HAVE A KEY CHANGE AND THAT IS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, IT'S CONTROL AGENCY, THE DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCE, HAS WORKED WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY IN THIS RFP. THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US IN DESIGN, IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE MONITORING OF IT. SO WE HAVE -- THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS NOT GOING TO LET US BUILD AN UNSAFE SCHOOL. JUST GUARANTEE IT.

JESS>> EVEN THOSE BEYOND THE BELMONT DISTRICT ARE CURIOUS ABOUT IT TOO. CESAR FROM WHITTIER IS ON THE PHONE. CESAR?

CESAR>> YES, HOW YOU DOING? YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH POLITICIANS. WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT SAYS, OH, THIS IS A SAFE SITE. AND THEN IN THE SAME BREATH, YOU SAY, WELL, WE CAN MAKE IT A SAFE SITE. WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT?

ROY ROMER>> WELL, LOOK, ANY SITE THAT YOU BUILD ON, YOU GOT TO BE SURE IT'S SAFE. THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT CONDITIONS. LET ME SAY THAT THIS SITE, A PORTION OF IT, IS ON THIS OILFIELD. NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT AN EXTRACTION SYSTEM, A GAS VAPOR EXTRACTION SYSTEM, THROUGHOUT ALL THE 35 ACRES. IT WILL HAVE ACTIVE AIR FLOWING THROUGH IT, IT WILL HAVE PIPES UNDER THE GROUND, IT WILL HAVE A BARRIER ABOVE THE PIPES.

LET ME TELL YOU, WHEN THIS IS DONE, IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE SAFEST PLACES IN L.A. IF YOU EVER HAVE AN EARTHQUAKE AND YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT GAS COMING UP FROM SOME NEW CREVICE, YOU OUGHT TO RUN OVER AND GET IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS FOOTBALL FIELD BECAUSE IT'LL BE ONE OF THE SAFEST PLACES IN TOWN.

JESS>> CAPRICE YOUNG TALKED ABOUT THE EFFECTIVE REMOVAL OF THE GASES BEING EFFECTIVE FOR THE LIFE OF THIS SCHOOL. WHAT'S THE LIFE OF A SCHOOL? HOW MANY YEARS?

ROY ROMER>> OH, LET'S SAY SEVENTY. SEVENTY, MAYBE MORE. HERE'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT. WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR IT BOTH ABOVE-GROUND AND BELOW-GROUND AND WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR IT AT A LEVEL OF HUMAN SAFETY 100 TO 1,000 TIMES MORE THAN THE OSHA STANDARDS, MORE SAFE. IT IS GOING TO BE MONITORED BY AN OUTSIDE AGENCY IN ADDITION TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE'VE TAKEN EVERY STEP WE CAN TO BE SURE THAT IT IS GOING TO BE SAFE. I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE ANYBODY PUTTING A CHILD IN AN UNSAFE SCHOOL. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. THIS SCHOOL IS NOT GOING TO BE UNSAFE. IT WILL BE SAFE.

JESS>> WE HAVE A CALL NOW FROM RALPH FROM LOS ANGELES. RALPH, YOU'RE ON LIFE AND TIMES.

RALPH>> THANK YOU. MR. ROMER, LET ME ASK YOU THIS. YOU'RE PROPOSING TO HAVE THIS BELMONT LEARNING CENTER WHICH WE KNOW IS NOT A VERY GOOD THING TO HAVE, BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS SINCE YOU'RE ASSURING US OF THIS. I'M A TEACHER, FIRST OF ALL, WITH THE L.A. CITY SCHOOLS FOR 32.3 YEARS AND RETIRED. I WANT TO ASK YOU, WILL YOU GUARANTEE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE MAIMED BY THIS FACILITY IN THE FUTURE THAT YOU AND YOUR PERSONAL FAMILY WILL PAY FOR THEIR ILLNESS AND SO FORTH?

ROY ROMER>> (LAUGHTER) RALPH, LOOK, MY REPUTATION IS ON THE LINE. I WILL GUARANTEE YOU WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SAFE SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, AM I GOING TO BE PERSONALLY LIABLE? NO, BUT WE WILL HAVE AN INSURANCE POLICY THAT WILL COVER ANYBODY'S LIABILITY. BUT LET ME TELL YOU, RALPH, IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO ME THAT ALL FOUR OF THE CALLS HAVE BEEN NEGATIVE. WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT THIS IN TERMS OF THE NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN OF THIS CITY. WE'VE GOT ABOUT 140,000 SEATS SHORT.

IT'S A TRAGEDY THAT WE CAN'T GET ADEQUATE SPACE FOR KIDS. OUR MORAL OBLIGATION IS TO GET MORE SPACE. YES, WE NEED TO DO IT SAFELY, BUT IN A CITY LIKE THIS, WE'RE LIVING ON OLD OILFIELDS ALL OVER L.A. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BARRIERS. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY EXTRACTION SYSTEM. WE'RE TAKING ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT SCIENTIFIC STEPS AND WE'RE TAKING THEM TO THE FAR EDGE. I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE A SAFER PLACE TO BE IF YOU ARE IN A SCHOOL AFTER THIS SCHOOL IS BUILT.

JESS>> THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS WE WOULD LIKE TO DEVOTE SOME TIME TO HERE, BUT THIS IS THE ISSUE THAT OBVIOUSLY IS THE GREATEST CONCERN TO OUR LOCAL AUDIENCE. LET ME ASK YOU, THOUGH, CAPRICE YOUNG, THE PRESIDENT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, HAS SAID THIS SCHOOL WILL BE COMPLETED ON TIME AND ON BUDGET. WHEN AND HOW MUCH?

ROY ROMER>> OKAY, WHEN. IT'LL TAKE TWO TO THREE YEARS, SO LET'S JUST PICK THE MIDDLE, TWO AND A HALF YEARS. NOW THAT'S ABOUT TWICE AS FAST AS WE COULD GET SPACE IF WE STARTED OVER. NOW WITHIN BUDGET, WE ESTIMATE THE TOTAL COST, INCLUDING INSURANCE, WILL BE $67 MILLION TO $87 MILLION DOLLARS AND WE'LL STAY WITHIN THOSE PARAMETERS.

NOW LET ME TELL YOU, THIS IS A BARGAIN. IF YOU ABANDON THIS SCHOOL AND START OVER, IT WOULD COST YOU TWICE AS MUCH. SO WE'RE SAVING BY CONTINUING TO FINISH THIS SCHOOL. I CANNOT BELIEVE THERE'S SO MUCH EMOTION ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST. WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE IT.

JESS>> WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT IT TOO. THANK YOU, GOVERNOR ROMER. ROY ROMER, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, IT'S THE AMERICAN NEIGHBOR FEW AMERICANS EVER SEE IN PERSON. WE'LL VISIT CUBA AND FIND OUT HOW THAT NATION IS CHANGING IN SPITE OF FIDEL CASTRO.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> CUBAN HOSPITALITY IS ALL THE MORE REMARKABLE WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT THE AUTHORITIES DON'T REALLY LIKE IT WHEN LOCALS MIX WITH FOREIGNERS.

>> IF A COP SOMETIMES SEE YOU TALKING WITH THE FOREIGNERS OR WALKING BESIDE A FOREIGNER, THEY STOP YOU. THEY WANT TO TAKE YOU TO THE POLICE STATION AND FINE YOU FOR JUST TALKING WITH A TOURIST.

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JESS>> YOU MAY HAVE READ OR HEARD ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S LATEST PLAN TO COLOR-CODE TERRORIST ALERTS. PATT MORRISON FINDS SOME NEW SHADES IN THAT GOVERNMENT RAINBOW IN TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT>> THAT OLD PHRASE, "DO IT BY THE NUMBERS"? FORGET THAT. NOW WE DO IT BY THE COLORS. IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS SET A NEW SET OF HUES TO RAISE A HUE AND CRY ABOUT TERRORIST RISKS. HERE IT IS: THE CRAYOLA CODE. GREEN, LOW RISK. BLUE IS A GUARDED RISK. YELLOW, AN ELEVATED RISK, RATHER LIKE CHOLESTEROL, ORANGE IS HIGH RISK AND RED IS SEVERE RISK. CARL SAGAN ONCE SAID IT'S PROBABLY NO ACCIDENT THAT THE HUMAN SPECIES' FAVORITE COLOR FOR ALARMS IS THE SAME COLOR AS ITS BLOOD.

BUT HOW DOES THIS WORK? WILL THEY BE FLYING A MONOCHROME FLAG OUTSIDE FEDERAL BUILDINGS SO WE CAN CHECK, LIKE THE WEATHER REPORT, FOR THE DAY'S TERRORIST PREDICTIONS? ARE THEY GOING TO SKYWRITE THE DAY'S PROPER ALERT COLOR EVERY MORNING SO WE KNOW WHETHER WE CAN WEAR ORDINARY CLOTHES TO WORK OR SHOULD WE BREAK OUT THE MOON SUITS? PERSONALLY, I THINK THIS SHOWS A GREAT WAN OF IMAGINATION ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT, BUT THEN WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

FOR ONE THING, WHY ONLY FIVE COLORS? THERE'S NO SUBTLETY, AND EVEN A BIT OF CONFUSION. BLUE IS THE COLOR OF SERENITY, THE OCEAN, THE SKY. GREEN IS A MORE ANXIOUS COLOR, THE COLOR OF JEALOUSY AND BOGIES IN GOLF AND THE SIGNAL TO ACCELERATE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. AND WHAT IF THE THREAT IS MORE THAN GREEN, BUT LESS THAN BLUE, MORE THAN ORANGE, BUT LESS THAN RED? HERE'S THE ANSWER. THE AQUAMARINE ALERT OR THE SALMON ALERT.

NOW THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT USING ITS RESOURCES, THAT VAST RANGE OF COLORS KNOWN TO ANY AMERICAN WHO CAME OF AGE IN THE LAST FIFTY YEARS, THE CRAYOLA 64. NOW PERIWINKLE OR BURNT SIENNA, THE COLOR EVERYONE KNOWS BUT NO ONE EVER USED, AND, OF COURSE, THE OBSOLETE CRAYON, FLESH, WHICH WOULD UTTERLY MYSTIFY THE EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION WHOSE FLESH DID NOT RESEMBLE THIS COLOR AT ALL.

BY USING A WIDER PALETTE OF COLORS TO SIGNAL THE STATE OF ALERT, THE UNITED STATES COULD INSTANTLY COMMUNICATE WITH ITS CRAYOLA-SAVVY POPULATION WHILE CONFUSING AND FLUMMOXING THE CRAYOLA-DEPRIVED ENEMY. IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND IT WOULD GIVE AN ALTOGETHER NEW MEANING TO TRUE BLUE AMERICA.

JESS>> GRAY WHALES ARE NOW STARTING THEIR ANNUAL MIGRATION NORTH TO THE DELIGHT OF WHALE WATCHERS ALL ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST. BUT SCIENTISTS HERE IN LOS ANGELES ARE ENGAGED IN A DIFFERENT KIND OF WHALE WATCHING. THEY OVERSEE ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST COLLECTION OF WHALE BONES. IT'S HOUSED IN AN INDUSTRIAL PARK JUST SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN. OFFICIALLY, IT'S THE MARINE MAMMAL LAB OF THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, BUT SOME SIMPLY CALL IT THE WHALE WAREHOUSE.

>> I THINK THE FASCINATIONS THAT HUMANS HAVE FOR WHALES AND DOLPHINS COVER A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. CERTAINLY, THE IMMENSITY OF WHALES IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY MYSTERIOUS. WE'RE JUST INSPIRED BY ANIMALS THAT ARE SO MUCH LARGER THAN WE ARE. AND I THINK THE WATER ENVIRONMENT ITSELF IS SOMETHING THAT -- ANYTHING THAT LIVES IN THE OCEAN -- IT'S SUCH A MYSTERIOUS REALM TO US.

[FILM CLIP]

>> WE ARE HERE AT THE MARINE MAMMAL LAB WHICH IS A FACILITY OF THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY. IT'S A PLACE WHERE SCIENTISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD COME TO STUDY WHALES AND DOLPHINS. WE HAVE EVERYTHING FROM SKULLS OF LARGE WHALES, WE HAVE THE TUSKS OF NARWHALS, THOSE WHALES THAT RESEMBLE UNICORNS, A VARIETY OF THINGS FROZEN, PRESERVED, STUFFED. ALMOST ANY FORMAT YOU CAN THINK OF, WE'VE GOT IT HERE.

WHAT'S SCATTERED AROUND BEHIND ME HERE ARE THE SKULLS OF LARGE FILTER-FEEDING BALEEN WHALES. THE LARGEST ONE RIGHT HERE IS THAT FROM A 74-FOOT ADULT FEMALE BLUE WHALE, REALLY AN IMMENSE SKULL, IN FACT, THE LARGEST SPECIMEN HERE AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM. TO GIVE YOU SOME LITTLE ORIENTATION, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE TOP PART OF THE SKULL AND ON EITHER SIDE HERE ARE THE LOWER JAWS. RIGHT IN THIS AREA IS WHERE THE EYE USED TO BE LOCATED. THE BLOW HOLE, THE NOSE OF THE WHALE, WAS LOCATED UP IN THIS REGION HERE. THIS ENTIRE AREA HERE IS WHERE A GIANT MUSCLE ORIGINATES WHICH GOES THROUGH THIS HOLE AND IN FACT ATTACHES TO THE LOWER JAW, PULLING THAT JAW SHUT WHEN IT'S FULL OF WATER.

HOW DID THESE WHALES FEED? AS I MENTIONED, THEY'RE FILTER-FEEDING WHALES. THIS IS SOME OF THAT FILTER DEVICE OF THE BALEEN WHICH ACTUALLY HANGS FROM UNDERNEATH THE UPPER JAW RIGHT THERE. WHAT ARE THEY FEEDING ON? THIS IMMENSE WHALE RIGHT HERE WAS FEEDING ON LITERALLY TONS OF THESE VERY, VERY SMALL ORGANISMS CALLED KRILLS. IT'S REALLY A CONTRAST BETWEEN THE SIZE OF THE ANIMAL AND THE SIZE OF THE PREY.

[FILM CLIP]

THE MAJORITY OF ANIMALS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE SELECTION HERE ARE STRANDED ANIMALS, ANIMALS THAT DIED AT SEA AND WASHED ASHORE AND WE GO OUT AND COLLECT. IT'S A WAY THAT WE CAN GLEAN A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM THEM WITHOUT HAVING ANY IMPACT ON WILD POPULATION. SOME OF THE REAL OLD SPECIMENS HERE ARE IN FACT OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THE U.S. WHALING INDUSTRY ABOUT THIRTY YEARS AGO.

HERE WE HAVE EVERYTHING FROM THE VERY COMMON TO THE VERY BIZARRE. WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE IS THE SKULL OF AN ADULT MALE NARWHAL. THIS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IS NOTHING MORE THAN AN ENLARGED TOOTH WHICH THE MALES USED FOR FIGHTING. THESE MALES ACTUALLY USED THESE TEETH NOT FOR STABBING EACH OTHER, BUT MORE IN SPARRING. VERY MUCH LIKE FENCING.

BEHIND US HERE, WE HAVE A WHOLE SERIES OF PILOT WHALES. ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS WE DO HERE AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM IS STUDY VARIATION BECAUSE YOU NEED TO DOCUMENT THAT VARIATION, JUST LIKE HUMANS VARY INDIVIDUAL TO INDIVIDUAL, MALES AND FEMALES, ETC. IN ORDER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DIFFERENT SPECIES THERE ARE, YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE THAT VARIATION WITHIN ANIMALS. THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO STUDY A BIG SERIES, SUCH AS YOU SEE RIGHT HERE.

WE SAVE A LOT OF THE INTERNAL ORGANS, OR PARTS OF THEM, IN FORMALIN OR IN ALCOHOL. THESE CAN BE USED FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT STUDIES. PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT THE HISTOLOGY, THE STRUCTURE OF THE CELLS OF THE PARTICULAR ORGAN, AND FIND OUT PERHAPS WHY THAT INDIVIDUAL DIED. OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT THE ANATOMY OF THAT PARTICULAR ORGAN. HOW DOES IT REALLY WORK? OR HOW IS RELATED TO OTHER ANIMALS? THINGS LIKE THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS WILL TELL YOU ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SEASONALITY OF REPRODUCTIONS. DO THESE ANIMALS BREED ALL YEAR-ROUND OR DO THEY JUST HAVE A SEASON WHEN THEY BREED? OR HOW OLD ARE THEY WHEN THE REPRODUCE? STOMACH CONTENTS WILL TELL YOU WHAT THE ANIMAL WAS FEEDING ON OR AT LEAST WHAT IT'S LAST SUPPER WAS.

A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS HAVE BEEN REALLY LEARNED HERE. FOR EXAMPLE, SEVERAL DIFFERENT POPULATIONS OF WHALES AND DOLPHINS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED HERE. WE'VE IN FACT BEEN ABLE TO DOCUMENT THAT COMMON DOLPHINS AROUND THE WORLD ARE ACTUALLY COMPRISED OF TWO DIFFERENT SPECIES, THAT WHAT WE THOUGHT IN THE PAST WAS ONE SPECIES REALLY REPRESENTS TWO SPECIES.

OTHER EXAMPLES ARE THE REALLY DIFFERENT WAYS OF LOOKING INTO THE LIVES OF THE ANIMALS THAT YOU CAN'T GET BY GOING OUT IN THE WATER AND WATCHING THEM. SO CERTAIN THINGS LIKE HOW THE ANIMALS ARE ALL RELATED TO EACH OTHER, HOW MANY SPECIES OF WHALES OR DOLPHINS THAT EXIST IN THE WORLD, YOU CAN ONLY TELL BY LOOKING AND EXAMINING SPECIMENS AT HAND. THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT IS BY COMING TO A PLACE LIKE THIS AND TO BE ABLE TO STUDY.

WE STILL DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF THESE ANIMALS. WE'RE FINDING NEW FOSSILS ALL THE TIME WHICH ARE COMPARED TO THESE MODERN ONES. NEW SPECIES ARE BEING DESCRIBED. WE'RE ALSO DESCRIBING DIFFERENT POPULATIONS. JUST LIKE WITH HUMAN BEINGS WITH VARIATIONS, THE SAME SPECIES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD MAY VARY SIGNIFICANTLY IN THEIR SHAPE, THEIR COLOR, IN FACT, EVEN MAYBE WHAT THEY'RE FEEDING ON. FOR SOME OF THESE ANIMALS, WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT WHAT THEY EAT, WHERE THEY GO, HOW THEY CAN DIVE, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THEY ABLE TO DO SOME OF THE SOUNDS THEY MAKE. SO THERE ARE UNENDING QUESTIONS THAT STILL NEED TO BE ANSWERED.

JESS>> FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM WEBSITE AT WWW.NHM.ORG AND CLICK ON "RESEARCH".

THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT'S PROGRAM. FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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