9/26/02

LC020926

JESS MARLOW>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

A LOCAL TV STATION SAYS L.A.’S URBAN LAKES ARE LOADED WITH DANGEROUS CONTAMINATION, SO WHY ISN’T CITY HALL PUTTING OUT WARNINGS?

MARIA ARIAZ-PEREZ>> I’VE SEEN KIDS THAT, YOU KNOW, TOUCH THE WATER. KIDS WERE PLAYING AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY’RE PUTTING THEIR HANDS IN THEIR MOUTHS. THEY’RE DOING ALL THOSE THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, PARENTS AREN’T AWARE THAT THE WATER IS CONTAMINATED.

JESS>> IT’S A KINDER, GENTLER PLAN FOR HOUSING THE HOMELESS AND IT COMES FROM AN UNLIKELY SOURCE, THE SHERIFF OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY. TONIGHT SHERIFF LEE BACA IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT KEEPING L.A.’S HOMELESS OFF THE STREETS AND OUT OF HARM’S WAY.

PLUS, THE END OF THE LINE FOR SCORES OF PEOPLE WHO TRY TO CROSS OVER FROM MEXICO ILLEGALLY.

NESTOR ORTIZ>> THERE YOU CAN SEE THE FOOTPRINTS OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME BY. BASED ON THE WAY IT LOOKS, I WOULD SAY A GROUP CAME BY HERE APPROXIMATELY FIVE TO TWELVE HOURS AGO.

JESS>> WE’LL LOOK AT EFFORTS TO RESCUE WOULD-BE IMMIGRANTS WHO GET STRANDED ON DEADLY DESERT TRAILS.

THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON TONIGHT’S 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.

AND 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.

WHEN DOES A DIRTY LAKE BECOME HAZARDOUS TO THE PUBLIC’S HEALTH? THAT QUESTION WAS SPARKED BY A RECENT INVESTIGATIVE SERIES ON TELEMUNDO’S CHANNEL 52, A SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION STATION IN LOS ANGELES. THE NEWS DEPARTMENT THERE TESTED THE WATER FROM SEVERAL URBAN LAKES AND FOUND WHAT APPEARS TO BE HIGH LEVELS OF CONTAMINATION. BUT AS PHILIP BRUCE REPORTS, SOME CITY OFFICIALS AREN’T CONVINCED THE PUBLIC IS IN ANY REAL DANGER.

PHILIP BRUCE>> FROM A DISTANCE, THE VIEW IS JUST FINE, BUT UP CLOSE, IT CAN GET PRETTY DISGUSTING. WELCOME TO THE LAKE AT MCARTHUR PARK WHERE GARBAGE IN THE WATER AND FETID ODORS ARE THE NORM AND IT’S NOT THE ONLY URBAN LAKE WITH BIG PROBLEMS. AT NEARBY ECHO PARK, THAT LAKE IS ALSO LITTERED WITH TRASH. IT’S A SITUATION ALL TOO FAMILIAR TO REPORTERS AT KVEA CHANNEL 52, THE SPANISH-LANGUAGE TV STATION OWNED BY TELEMUNDO. THAT’S WHY THE STATION’S NEWS DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION TO FIND OUT IF THOSE DIRTY LAKES ACTUALLY POSE A SAFETY HAZARD TO THE PUBLIC.

[FILM CLIP]

PHILIP BRUCE>> IT STARTED AFTER TELEMUNDO CREWS SPENT MANY HOURS IN ECHO PARK COVERING THE SEARCH FOR A MISSING FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILD WHO HAD BEEN SEEN NEAR THE LAKE. THE MISSING CHILD STORY HAD A HAPPY ENDING, BUT TELEMUNDO’S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LAKE WERE JUST BEGINNING.

MARIA ARIAZ-PEREZ>> RESIDENTS OF THE AREA WERE COMING TO US TELLING US, WELL, YOU KNOW, THE RESCUE TEAMS ARE GOING TO GET SICK FROM THESE WATERS BECAUSE THEY’RE CONTAMINATED. WE HAD NO IDEA, YOU KNOW. WE DIDN’T REALIZE THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE WATER OF ECHO PARK LAKE. FINALLY, THOUGH, THE RESIDENTS KEPT COMING TO US AND TELLING US THAT WATER IS CONTAMINATED AND WE DECIDED TO TEST THE WATER AND, TO OUR SURPRISE, IT WAS. WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST DIRTY WATER.

PHILIP BRUCE>> TELEMUNDO SENT SAMPLES OF LAKE WATER FROM THE PARK TO A PRIVATE LAB IN ORANGE COUNTY.

RAYMUNDO DIAZ>> THE RESULTS CAME BACK AND THEY WERE LIKE AMAZING. I REMEMBER THE PRODUCER IN CHARGE SAYING -- THE FIRST REACTION WHEN SHE WAS BEING TOLD OVER THE PHONE BY THE LAB WAS “NOBODY’S COMING NEAR THIS WATER, RIGHT?” THAT’S WHEN WE FIGURED THAT WE HAD SOMETHING IN OUR HANDS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> THE RESULT? THE LAB FOUND EVIDENCE OF FECAL CONTAMINATION IN ECHO PARK LAKE, THE SAME WATER PEOPLE USED FOR RECREATION AND FISHING.

MARIA ARIAZ-PEREZ>> I’VE SEEN KIDS THAT, YOU KNOW, TOUCH THE WATER. KIDS WERE PLAYING AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY’RE PUTTING THEIR HANDS IN THEIR MOUTHS. THEY’RE DOING ALL THOSE THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, PARENTS AREN’T AWARE THAT THE WATER IS CONTAMINATED. I THINK, TO US, IT’S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM.

PHILIP BRUCE>> TELEMUNDO’S REPORTERS TURNED TO CITY HALL FOR SOME ANSWERS AND MAYOR JIM HAHN SAID HE’D DIRECTED TWO CITY DEPARTMENTS, RECREATION AND PARKS AND SANITATION, TO COME UP WITH A CLEANUP PLAN. LATER THE MAYOR ACKNOWLEDGED THAT FOUR OTHER CITY LAKES, INCLUDING MCARTHUR PARK LAKE, MIGHT ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS.

MARIA ARIAZ-PEREZ>> I ASKED WHY. I CALLED THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR TO ASK WHY THEY WEREN’T CONSIDERED HIGH PRIORITIES AND THEY WOULDN’T TELL US. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN’T HAD PROPER COMMUNICATION. THEY USUALLY SAID I WILL GET BACK TO YOU, AND THEY NEVER CALLED US BACK. ACTUALLY, IT’S BEEN A MONTH TRYING TO INTERVIEW THE MAYOR AND WE HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.

PHILIP BRUCE>> TELEMUNDO ORDERED TESTS ON WATER SAMPLES FROM THE OTHER LAKES AND FOUND PROBLEMS WITH THEM AS WELL. PHYSICIAN LEONARD ORTIZ HAS SEEN THE RESULTS.

DR. LEONARDO ORTIZ>> THIS WATER CONTAINS THE SAME AMOUNT OF BACTERIA THAT IS IN THE SEWAGE. IT’S A MATTER OF CONCERN. IT’S A BONA FIDE CONCERN THAT WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO. IF THERE’S A WAY HOW WE CAN TREAT THESE LAKES, IT WOULD BE GREAT.

PHILIP BRUCE>> BUT THEN, THINGS GOT COMPLICATED BETWEEN CHANNEL 52 AND THE MAYOR’S OFFICE. AFTER THE STATION RETURNED TO ECHO PARK FOR AN UPDATE, A TOP OFFICIAL FROM THE MAYOR’S OFFICE CONTACTED TELEMUNDO AND ACCUSED REPORTER MARIA ARIAZ-PEREZ OF STAGING THE STORY. ON CAMERA, SHE GATHERED DEBRIS FROM THE LAKE AND PUT IT INTO A TRASHCAN, BUT THE MAYOR’S AIDE CLAIMED A PARK WORKER SAW THE REPORTER PUTTING TRASH IN THE LAKE.

MARIA ARIAZ-PEREZ>> AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW STAND-UPS ARE DONE. EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT TRASH THAT I PICKED UP, I PUT IT IN THE TRASHCAN. I LEFT IT THERE, BUT I’D PICK IT UP, YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE’RE DOING ONE OF THOSE STAND-UPS THAT YOU DO IN PARKS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> TELEMUNDO’S MANAGING EDITOR SAYS THE MAYOR’S OFFICE HAS MISREAD WHAT THE STATION IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, NAMELY TO FIX WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE LAKE AT ECHO PARK AND ELSEWHERE.

RAYMUNDO DIAZ>> I THINK IT’S BEEN MISCONSTRUED, MISUNDERSTOOD, LIKE WE’RE TRYING TO MAKE OURSELVES LOOK GOOD OR SELF-PROMOTE WHEN THAT IS NOT THE CASE. WE’RE REALLY TRYING TO GET SOMETHING DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

PHILIP BRUCE>> THIS WEEK, OUR CAMERAS VISITED MCARTHUR PARK LAKE AND THERE WE HAD NO TROUBLE FINDING HUGE AMOUNTS OF TRASH. OVER AT ECHO PARK, THERE WAS LESS TRASH BUT PLENTY OF PEOPLE IN CONTACT WITH THE WATER. WE CAUGHT ONE MAN JUST AFTER HE CLIMBED OUT OF THE LAKE AND THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE FISHING HERE ALONG THIS BANK. IN ONE DESERTED SPOT, A SIGN WARNS VISITORS TO “CATCH AND RELEASE”, BUT THERE WAS NO WARNING WHERE PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY FISHING. IN FACT, JUST YESTERDAY THE LAKE WAS RESTOCKED.

>> FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS OF CATFISH. THEY STOCK EVERY MONTH STARTING OCTOBER. THEY START TROUT FROM OCTOBER UNTIL MAY. THEN THEY STOCK CATFISH AGAIN FROM MAY UNTIL OCTOBER.

JESS>> JOINING US NOW FROM MAYOR HAHN’S OFFICE IS BARBARA SANDOVAL. SHE IS A DEPUTY MAYOR AND OVERSEES THE DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION AND PARKS. NO QUESTION ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF CONTAMINATION AT THESE LAKES, WOULD YOU AGREE?

BARBARA SANDOVAL>> WE ARE WORKING ON THE URBAN LAKE ISSUE. URBAN LAKES RECEIVE STORM WATER RUNOFF. THEY’RE MANMADE LAKES. IT’S THE SAME WATER THAT RUNS THROUGH THE SEWER LINES AND RECEIVES STORM WATER RUNOFF.

JESS>> NONE OF IT IS USED FOR DRINKING WATER?

BARBARA SANDOVAL>> NOT USED FOR DRINKING WATER, NOT USED FOR SWIMMING, NOT ENCOURAGED FOR USE IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE.

JESS>> WOULD THE ANSWER BE SIMPLY POSTING IT AS WE DO THE OCEAN BEACHES WHEN THERE IS CONTAMINATION PRESENT?

BARBARA SANDOVAL>> WE CURRENTLY HAVE LANGUAGE FOR SIGNS BEING REVIEWED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE. THE SIGNS HAVE TO BE APPROVED FOR THE PROPER LANGUAGE AND THE SIGNS WILL BE POSTED ACCORDING TO STATE REGULATION.

JESS>> THE ULTIMATE GOAL, ONE WOULD THINK, WOULD BE TO SIMPLY CLEANSE THE LAKES. IS THAT PRACTICAL? CAN IT BE DONE?

BARBARA SANDOVAL>> ABSOLUTELY. MAYOR HAHN IS FOCUSED ON REC AND PARKS. IT’S ONE OF HIS TOP DEPARTMENTS. WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY WITH THE PASSAGE OF PROP 40 TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL MONEY INTO THE CITY TO DEAL WITH PARK-MAKING OPPORTUNITIES, PARK ENHANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND PART OF THAT INCLUDES THE WATER QUALITY ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR PARKS AND LAKES.

JESS>> IT HAS NOT BEEN THAT MANY YEARS AGO THAT MCARTHUR PARK’S LAKE WAS DRAINED AND CLEANED, BUT IT SHOWS REAL CONTAMINATION AS WELL. AND THE FECAL CONTAMINATION. HOW DO WE EXPLAIN THAT?

BARBARA SANDOVAL>> AS YOU NOTICED IN MANY OF THE TAPES AND IN THE VISITS TO THE LAKE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DUCKS IN THE LAKE. THEY ALSO PRODUCE --

JESS>> -- SO THIS DOESN’T SUGGEST HUMAN SEWAGE THEN?

BARBARA SANDOVAL>> IT’S NOT INTENDED FOR THAT USE. IT’S NOT SUGGESTED THAT THAT’S WHAT THE CAUSE IS.

JESS>> THERE IS PLENTY OF PUBLIC CONTACT WITH THAT WATER, PARTICULARLY MCARTHUR PARK AND OTHER PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE THE PADDLE BOATS WHERE CHILDREN ARE ENCOURAGED TO DO THAT. IS THERE ANY THOUGHT ABOUT RESTRICTING ACCESS TO THOSE LAKES?

BARBARA SANDOVAL>> THE LAKES ARE FOR PUBLIC ENJOYMENT, VISUAL AS WELL AS RECREATIONAL IN THE SENSE OF THE PADDLE BOATS. IN THE PADDLE BOATS, PEOPLE ARE INSTRUCTED TO REMAIN IN THE PADDLE BOATS, NOT TO TOUCH THE WATER AND IT’S THERE FOR THEIR ENJOYMENT.

JESS>> SOME WOULD SUGGEST THAT, WELL, GEE, CAN’T THEY CHLORINATE THE LAKES?

BARBARA SANDOVAL>> WE’RE WORKING ON AN URBAN LAKES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENT INITIATIVE THAT INCLUDES THE FIVE LAKES THAT ARE ALL URBAN LAKES THAT RECEIVE STORM WATER RUNOFF, AS I MENTIONED. IN THOSE PLANS, WE’RE LOOKING AT PROVIDING AERATION SYSTEMS THAT WILL PROVIDE MOVEMENT TO THE WATER THAT WILL HELP WITH SOME OF THE STAGNATION ISSUES AND HELP WITH SOME OF THE WATER QUALITY ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED.

JESS>> THE REMOTE SIGN THAT INDICATED IT WAS “CATCH AND RELEASE” WHERE FISHING IS CONCERNED, DO YOU TELL PEOPLE THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO EAT THE FISH?

BARBARA SANDOVAL>> ACCORDING TO THE STATE, IF THE FISH ARE CLEANED PROPERLY, THEY ARE SAFE TO EAT. BUT THE SIGNS ARE POSTED FOR “CATCH AND RELEASE”. AGAIN, THE LAKE IS FOR RECREATIONAL USE, NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE FISHING OPPORTUNITIES TO FEED THE PEOPLE, BUT FOR CATCH AND RELEASE.

JESS>> EVEN THOUGH THE LAKES ARE STOCKED REGULARLY?

BARBARA SANDOVAL>> EVEN THOUGH THE LAKES ARE STOCKED REGULARLY AND, AGAIN, ACCORDING TO THE STATE, IF THEY ARE CLEANED PROPERLY, THEN THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THEM.

JESS>> THANKS VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

BARBARA SANDOVAL>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, AT A TIME WHEN MUSLIMS ARE TARGETS OF HATE CRIMES, THEY WORRY ABOUT BEING MISTAKEN FOR SOMETHING THEY ARE NOT.

GAY YEE>> THEY ARE CHRISTIANS FROM THE MUSLIM WORLD. CALIFORNIA USED TO BE A SAFE REFUGE FOR THEM AND THEIR RELIGION, BUT THAT ALL CHANGED LAST MONTH WITH A FATAL HOLDUP.

>> I THINK IT WAS A WAKE-UP CALL. AS FAR AS OUR COMMUNITY, EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS, I THINK MANY OF US FEEL THAT WE’RE NOT AS SAFE AS WE THOUGHT.

JESS>> LOS ANGELES COUNTY HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST HOMELESS POPULATIONS IN THE NATION. BY SOME ESTIMATES, MORE THAN 26,000 SOULS ROAM THE STREETS HERE WITH NO PLACE TO LIVE OTHER THAN A PIECE OF SIDEWALK. THIS MONTH, SOME MAJOR THINKERS GATHERED IN LOS ANGELES FOR WHAT AMOUNTED TO A HOMELESS SUMMIT TO LOOK FOR REMEDIES TO THE HOMELESS PROBLEM. HEADING THAT MEETING WAS OUR NEXT GUEST, LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF LEE BACA. HE'S HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT HIS PLAN FOR HOUSING AND CARING FOR THE HOMELESS. WE INDICATED EARLIER IN THIS BROADCAST THAT YOU WERE AN UNLIKELY SOURCE TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE HOMELESS AND TO BE SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO EASE THE HOMELESS PROBLEM. IS THAT AN UNLIKELY ROLE FOR THE SHERIFF OF THE COUNTY?

LEE BACA>> TRADITIONALLY, YES, JESS, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON THE PROGRAM. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, SADLY, IS THE LAST RESORT OF SERVICE FOR MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS BECAUSE INVARIABLY THEY'LL COME TO JAIL AND THAT'S NOT THE PLACE FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED. THEREFORE, THE SHERIFF IS DEFINITELY A PERSON THAT OUGHT TO BE INVOLVED IN HELPING SOLVE THIS.

JESS>> SO YOU'RE RELEASING DAILY, WHAT, UP TO FORTY OR FIFTY PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO PLACE TO GO?

LEE BACA>> FORTY TO FIFTY PEOPLE WHO HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PLACE TO GO AND THE PROBLEM IS, WHERE DO THEY GO? GENERALLY, THEY'LL ROAM AROUND AND THEN EVENTUALLY HEAD TO DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES AND THEN THE CYCLE IS JUST A CONTINUING CYCLE. MANY DO COME FROM DOWNTOWN, BUT THEY ALSO COME FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.

JESS>> YOUR DEPARTMENT IS ALWAYS SAID TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST CONCENTRATIONS OF MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE IN THE STATE. MANY OF THESE HOMELESS ARE MENTALLY ILL?

LEE BACA>> INDEED. ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS ARE MENTALLY ILL, ANOTHER THIRD HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH ALCOHOL AND DRUGS AND THEN ANOTHER THIRD ARE JUST PLAIN DOWN ON THEIR LUCK, NOT TO MENTION CHILDREN, NOT TO MENTION WOMEN, AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO ARE VETERANS.

JESS>> YOU HAVE MORE THAN A PHILOSOPHY TO TALK ABOUT. YOU HAVE A PLAN TO TALK ABOUT AND IT'S REPRESENTED BY THIS MOCK-UP ON THE SET. EXACTLY HOW IS THIS GOING TO WORK?

LEE BACA>> WELL, ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU SEE HERE, THIS IS PART OF THE PLAN. WE WANT TO REITERATE THAT THIS IS NOT THE WHOLE ANSWER HERE, BUT THIS IS A ONE-STOP PLACE WHERE TEMPORARY SHELTER CAN BE PROVIDED FOR THOSE PEOPLE SLEEPING ON SIDEWALKS AND OUT IN THE STREET AND UNDER BRIDGES. WHAT THIS IS IS A HIGH-TECH VILLAGE WHICH HAS ALL THE SERVICES THAT A PERSON WOULD NEED.

THERE ARE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATORS, THERE ARE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION REPRESENTATIVES, THERE ARE MENTAL HEALTH PEOPLE, THERE ARE HEALTHCARE PEOPLE, THERE ARE SANITARY CAPABILITIES FOR WASHING CLOTHES AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS, THERE ARE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO THE RESTROOM AND DEAL WITH THEIR BODILY NEEDS AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE'S A BARBER SHOP AND A BEAUTY SHOP TO HELP PEOPLE LOOK LIKE THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY HOMELESS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE. WE DO REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE TO GIVE A PERSON THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND THEIR DIGNITY AGAIN AND THIS IS WHAT THIS IS INTENDED TO BE.

JESS>> HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL THIS ACCOMMODATE?

LEE BACA>> ABOUT 180, BUT THIS IS NOT PERMANENT HOUSING. THEREFORE, WHOEVER COMES HERE, THE IDEA IS TO HELP THEM MOVE ON TO A MORE APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR PERMANENT HOUSING.

JESS>> BUT THOSE FORTY OR SO HOMELESS WHO LEAVE YOUR JAILS EVERY DAY, THIS WOULD BE A FIRST STOP FOR THEM?

LEE BACA>> SOME WOULD COME HERE. OTHERS WOULD GO TO OTHER PLACES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO WITH THIS CONCEPT IS HAVE A LOW-COST, HIGHLY-SERVICED AREA FOR OUR PUBLIC THAT IS HOMELESS AND THEN HAVE A SENSE OF A PARK-LIKE EFFECT SO THAT IT DOESN'T OFFEND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING NEAR THIS PARTICULAR CENTER.

JESS>> HAS THERE BEEN OPPOSITION?

LEE BACA>> INDEED. I MEAN, THIS IS A HUGE NIMBYISM PROBLEM THROUGHOUT AMERICA.

JESS>> THIS, BASICALLY, WOULD BE IN CHINATOWN, RIGHT?

LEE BACA>> WE ARE LOOKING AT A SITE NEAR THERE. IT'S ACTUALLY NEXT TO THE COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM WHICH, TO ME, IS A LITTLE FURTHER AWAY. IT'S A LITTLE CLOSER IN. BUT THIS COULD BE REPLICATED ANYWHERE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND THERE ARE OTHER SITES. COUNCILWOMAN JAN PERRY WAS THE CO-CHAIR OF THE HOMELESS SUMMIT AND SHE'S LOOKING, ALONG WITH MYSELF, IN AN AREA IN HER DISTRICT THAT WE COULD DO THIS AS WELL.

JESS>> AND THESE ARE NOT SHEDS. THESE ARE CANVAS COVERED, BUT YOU SAID THEY'RE NOT PERMANENT EITHER.

LEE BACA>> CORRECT --

JESS>> -- EACH ONE WOULD HOLD --

LEE BACA>> -- EIGHT PEOPLE.

JESS>> AND WOULD PROVIDE WHAT FOR THEM?

LEE BACA>> IT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO SLEEP IN DIGNITY AND IN SAFETY, IT WOULD ALLOW FOR THEM TO HAVE WARMTH AND SHELTER FROM THE ELEMENTS OF WEATHER AND IT WOULD KEEP THEM FROM "SLEEPING ON SIDEWALKS" WHICH, TO ME, IS UNCONSCIONABLE IN THE MOST PROSPEROUS COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

JESS>> WHERE IS THE SUPPORT GOING TO COME FROM?

LEE BACA>> WELL, I THINK WE ALMOST HAD IT UNTIL THE RECESSION HIT. IN SACRAMENTO, SENATOR JOHN BURTON AS WELL AS GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH ME ON THIS CONCEPT, DID FUND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT $250,000 TO DEVELOP THE CONCEPT AND HERE YOU SEE PART OF THAT DEVELOPMENT. BUT UNDOUBTEDLY, THE STATE AND THE COUNTY AND THE CITY, AS WELL AS OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT SENDS L.A. COUNTY $58 MILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR, ALL THESE PARTS OF GOVERNMENT NEED TO BE A PART OF BRINGING ABOUT THE RIGHT SOLUTION.

JESS>> AND IS THERE A DOLLAR FIGURE ON THIS PROJECT?

LEE BACA>> THIS WOULD BE AS MUCH AS $6 MILLION OR $7 MILLION DOLLARS BASED ON LAND ACQUISITION. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE SOME PIECES OF LAND THAT ARE OWNED BY EITHER COUNTY OR BY THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES THAT WOULD, IN EFFECT, BE USED AND THEREBY REDUCING THE COST DOWN TO $3 MILLION OR $4 MILLION DOLLARS.

JESS>> RECALLING YOUR -- I WANT TO SAY FIGHT AND I GUESS I WILL SAY FIGHT -- WITH THE SUPERVISORS OVER THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BUDGET, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES?

LEE BACA>> WELL, THEY'RE GOOD BECAUSE, YOU SEE, THE COUNTY AND THE CITY HAVE THE OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. AS A RESULT, THERE IS MONEY THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING USED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. WHAT'S NOT IN EXISTENCE IS A MASTER PLAN FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES AND THAT'S WHAT THE SUMMIT WAS ABOUT. COUNCIL MEMBERS GRUEL AND GARCETTI WERE THERE, ALONG WITH JAN PERRY AND SUPERVISOR YVONNE BRAITHWAITE-BURKE AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

JESS>> WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE LOS ANGELES IS, HAS BEEN DESCRIBED, GROUND ZERO FOR THE HOMELESS IN THE COUNTRY?

LEE BACA>> I THINK IT'S THE WEATHER. I THINK THAT THERE'S A WONDERFUL ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOWN ON THEIR LUCK CAN COME TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOMEWHAT SURVIVE. THE WEATHER IS GREAT IN SAN DIEGO AS WELL, BUT, YOU SEE, THEY DON'T HAVE THIS BIG A PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE'S A COUNTY-CITY COOPERATION WHERE, IN SAN DIEGO, THE CITY DOES THE HOUSING PART FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSING AND THE COUNTY DOES THE MENTAL HEALTH AND HEALTH SERVICES AND SOCIAL SERVICES PART, WHICH IS CRITICAL IN THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

JESS>> AND, IN FACT, SAN DIEGO WAS WELL-REPRESENTED AT YOUR HOMELESS SUMMIT, WERE THEY NOT?

LEE BACA>> YES. THEIR PROGRAM REPRESENTATIVES SPOKE HIGHLY OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND IT'S A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. BUT WE ALSO HAVE SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS IN LOS ANGELES, SUCH AS P.A.T.H. WHICH ISN'T FAR FROM THE DOWNTOWN AREA WHERE ANY HOMELESS PERSON CAN GO IN AND GET APPROPRIATE SERVICES FROM ALL DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR COUNTY.

JESS>> AND THIS IS NOT LIKE THE TENT CITY?

LEE BACA>> NO. I MEAN, THE TENT CITY IDEA THAT WENT UP ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO WAS JUST AN ILL-CONCEIVED IDEA WHERE PEOPLE WERE JUST HERDED INTO AN EMPTY FIELD THAT HAD REALLY NO DESIGN, NO FACILITIES. YOU PUT PORT-A-POTTIES IN THERE AND GIVE THEM A FEW TENTS AND THEN, WHEN IT RAINS, EVERYTHING WENT ALL SOUTH.

JESS>> THAT WAS THE BRAINCHILD OF HOMELESS ACTIVIST, TED HAYES?

LEE BACA>> NO. HIS WAS THE DOME VILLAGE. TED HAYES HAS A DOME VILLAGE NEAR EIGHTH STREET AND THE HARBOR FREEWAY.

JESS>> AND HOW DOES THAT COMPARE?

LEE BACA>> THIS IS A FIRST-CLASS DESIGN WITH EVERYTHING IN MIND THAT WOULD BE ECOLOGICALLY SOUND. I'M KIND OF AN ENVIRONMENTALIST. IF IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD, I DON'T LIKE IT. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING ON A LEVEL THAT WOULD BRING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ATTRACTIVENESS TO A VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEM.

JESS>> SHERIFF BACA, WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS VERY MUCH. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

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JESS>> WE'VE ALL SEEN THE OFFICIAL EFFORTS TO STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AT THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER, BUT TONIGHT A LOOK AT EFFORTS TO RESCUE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO DO GET ACROSS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WOULD-BE IMMIGRANTS WHO RUN INTO TROUBLE IN THE DESERT. IN THIS REPORT FROM OUR FRIENDS AT CHANNEL ONE NEWS, WE'LL SEE HOW THOSE DESERT TRAILS CAN BE DEADLY.

DERRICK SHORE>> GETTING ACROSS THE BORDER FROM MEXICO INTO THE U.S. ISN'T AS SIMPLE AS JUMPING A FENCE ANYMORE. NOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS MUST CONTEND WITH BARBED WIRE, SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AND ARMED BORDER PATROL AGENTS. IN THE TOWN OF NOGALES, ARIZONA JUST ACROSS THE BORDER FROM NOGALES, MEXICO, BORDER AGENTS ARE SEARCHING HIGH AND LOW FOR ILLEGALS TRYING TO SNEAK ACROSS.

RONALD VITIELLO>> LOOK, THIS IS A DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE. PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES TRYING TO ENTER THE COUNTRY THE WAY THEY ARE AND, IF THEY MAKE IT IN, THEN OUR AGENTS ARE ON THEIR WAY WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE.

DERRICK SHORE>> IT USED TO BE THAT THE EASIEST PLACES TO GET INTO THE UNITED STATES WERE ALONG MEXICO'S BORDER WITH CALIFORNIA AND TEXAS. BUT OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS, THE BORDER PATROL HAS MADE IT A LOT TOUGHER. SO IMMIGRANTS TRYING TO ENTER THE U.S. ILLEGALLY NOW HAVE TO MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE SCORCHING ARIZONA DESERT, A MUCH LONGER AND MUCH MORE DANGEROUS JOURNEY. THERE IS NO SHADE, NO WATER, BUT A LOT OF DANGEROUS CREATURES, SCORPIONS, COYOTES AND RATTLESNAKES, TO NAME A FEW. IN THIS AREA ALONE, MORE THAN 500,000 ILLEGALS WERE APPREHENDED LAST YEAR. THOSE WERE THE LUCKY ONES. IN JUST THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS, THE DEATH TOLL HAS FAR SURPASSED THE NUMBER OF DEATHS IN ALL OF LAST YEAR. I HUNG OUT WITH THE U.S. BORDER PATROL TO SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

NESTOR ORTIZ>> YOU CAN SEE THE FOOTPRINTS OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME BY. BASED ON THE WAY IT LOOKS, I WOULD SAY A GROUP CAME BY HERE APPROXIMATELY FIVE TO TWELVE HOURS AGO.

DERRICK SHORE>> NESTOR ORTIZ IS WITH BORSTAR, A SEARCH AND RESCUE DIVISION OF THE BORDER PATROL. HE SAYS MANY ILLEGALS COMING FROM MEXICO GET INTO TROUBLE AROUND THIS AREA OF THE SENORAN DESERT. THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY PATHS FROM MEXICO THROUGH ARIZONA THAT PEOPLE TAKE TO GET INTO THE UNITED STATES AND, BELIEVE ME, IT'S NOT EASY. THE TERRAIN IS ROUGH AND IT'S ROASTING. IT' LIKE 102 OR 103 TODAY AND, ON MANY DAYS, IT REACHES AS HIGH AS 115 DEGREES OUT HERE. ALL ALONG THE TRAIL, THERE ARE SIGNS OF THE HUMAN TRAFFIC THAT'S PASSED THROUGH HERE, BUT NO PEOPLE.

DERRICK SHORE>> SO THE TRAIL THAT WE'RE WALKING ON RIGHT NOW, THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY TRAILS USED?

NESTOR ORTIZ>> THAT'S CORRECT, YES, IT IS. IT'S ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR TRAILS OUT HERE BECAUSE IT IS CLOSE TO THE MOUNTAIN RANGE. THEY WON'T GET LOST GOING NORTH OR SOUTH.

DERRICK SHORE>> DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT RATTLESNAKES LIKE TO HANG OUT BY THE TRAILS?

DERRICK SHORE>> WITH MILES OF DESERT AND BRUSH TO NAVIGATE AND THE BORDER PATROL ON THEIR HEELS, MANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HIRE A GUIDE, COMMONLY KNOWN AS A "COYOTE", TO GET THEM ACROSS SAFELY. BUT NOW IT'S NOT JUST HUMAN CARGO BEING SMUGGLED THROUGH THE DESERT. IT'S ALSO DRUGS.

NESTOR ORTIZ>> YOU MIGHT BE TRACKING A GROUP AND, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE ARE NINE PEOPLE WITH MARIJUANA BUNDLES ON THEIR BACKS AND THEN YOU HAVE TO SWITCH YOUR HAT FROM A RESCUER BACK TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSON.

DERRICK SHORE>> AFTER HOURS OF PATROLLING THE AREA, NESTOR STOPS AT A HOUSE ON A NATIVE-AMERICAN RESERVATION AND MAKES A DISTURBING DISCOVERY. SO THIS WOMAN HERE IS AN ILLEGAL ALIEN. APPARENTLY, SHE WAS WITH A GROUP OF SEVEN PEOPLE AND HER SISTER BECAME ILL. THE REST OF THE GROUP LEFT. APPARENTLY NOW, HER SISTER IS DEAD. HER BODY IS IN THE DESERT OUT HERE SOMEWHERE AND SHE CAME TO THIS HOME TO GET HELP. NESTOR CALLS IN A HELICOPTER TO HELP WITH THIS SEARCH. THE WOMAN TRIES TO LEAD US BACK TO HER SISTER, BUT HAS GOTTEN TURNED AROUND AND LOST AND WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF DAYLIGHT.

NESTOR ORTIZ>> SO STAY IN A CLEARING AREA. THE LADY IS WEARING A WHITE BLOUSE OVER BLACK PANTS AND SHE HAS A BLACK SHIRT OVER HER FACE.

DERRICK SHORE>> FINALLY, THE HELICOPTER SPOTS THE BODY. THAT WOMAN, I DON'T KNOW HER AT ALL, AND IT'S JUST A DEAD BODY, BUT BEING HERE, I MEAN -- HER SISTER IS COMING NOW TO SEE HER. I FEEL SO AWFUL. I MEAN, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE LEAVING MY SISTER OR SOMEONE WHO I CARED ABOUT KNOWING THAT THEY WERE DEAD.

LESS THAN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS LATER, NESTOR IS BACK ON PATROL, THIS TIME AT NIGHT. THE DESERT OUT HERE STRETCHES FOR MILES WITHOUT A HOUSE, A LIGHT, ANOTHER CAR. I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING OUT HERE BESIDES A BUNCH OF ANIMALS MAKING LOTS OF NOISES THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR TO ME AND, REALLY, IT'S KIND OF SCARY. IT'S NOT LONG BEFORE THINGS GET EERIE WHEN WE DISCOVER TWO ABANDONED TRUCKS.

NESTOR ORTIZ>> YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT REMAINS OF THE BAIL-OUT OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THE BACK OF THIS TRUCK. THERE ARE SOME OF THE PERSONAL EFFECTS THAT ARE STILL LEFT BEHIND HERE. THE VEHICLE HAS NO KEY, NO DRIVER.

DERRICK SHORE>> THERE'S JUST SOMETHING WEIRD ABOUT FINDING A TRUCK WITH ITS LIGHTS ON AND NOBODY AROUND. WE EVENTUALLY MEET UP WITH SOME OTHER AGENTS WHO ARE TRACKING SEVERAL GROUPS OF ILLEGALS MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE DESERT. HOW FAR DOWN ARE THEY FROM HERE, DO YOU THINK?

>> TWO MILES SOUTH.

DERRICK SHORE>> TWO MILES SOUTH OF HERE. THE INFRARED SCOPE ZEROES IN ON ONE OF THE GROUPS. NESTOR TRIES TO HONE IN ON THEM IN TOTAL DARKNESS. SUDDENLY, THE BLAZE OF HIS FLASHLIGHT REVEALS THREE PEOPLE STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. MOMENTS AFTER CAPTURING THESE ILLEGALS, NESTOR IS IN HOT PURSUIT OF ANOTHER GROUP.

NESTOR ORTIZ>> THERE'S A GROUP OF EIGHTEEN PEOPLE WHO JUST CROSSED THIS TRAIL RIGHT HERE. WE HAVE A SCOPE OVER THERE TRYING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THEM RIGHT NOW, BUT HAS CURRENTLY LOST TRACK OF THEM.

DERRICK SHORE>> THIS TIME, HE'S NOT SO LUCKY, BUT IT'S THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND NESTOR IS CALLING IT A NIGHT. THERE WILL BE MANY MORE JUST LIKE IT.

JESS>> AGAIN, OUR THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS AT CHANNEL ONE NEWS FOR THAT REPORT.

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