11/25/02

LC021125

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> NEW DRUGS MEAN THAT HIV ISN'T AUTOMATICALLY FATAL, BUT THOSE SAME DRUGS MAY BE PROMPTING SOME PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN RISKY BEHAVOR.

GAY YEE>> FRIDAY NIGHT AND THE HOLLYWOOD CLUB SCENE. PEOPLE MAY BE PREACHING SAFE SEX ON THE WAY IN, BUT PRACTICING WHAT THEY PREACH IS A DIFFERENT MATTER.

ALEX TORREZ>> EVEN FOR MY GAY FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, STILL THEY THINK THAT IT CANNOT HAPPEN TO THEM. SO WHEN I SEE THEM HAVING, YOU KNOW, SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS UNPROTECTED, IT REALLY BOTHERS ME.

VAL>> THINK OF IT AS A NATIONAL GIANT PARK THAT'S ABOVE AND BELOW THE OCEAN, A PLACE WHERE WILDLIFE OF ALL KINDS IS PROTECTED.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> TONIGHT WE'LL VISIT THE NEW RESERVES AROUND THE CHANNEL ISLANDS OFF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S COAST. FISHING IS OFF-LIMITS THERE TO PROTECT ENDANGERED SPECIES, BUT CRITICS SAY THE GOVERNMENT HAS GONE TOO FAR.

JESS>> AND THEN A CELEBRATION OF LIGHT IN ANTICIPATION OF A JEWISH HOLIDAY THAT BEGINS THIS WEEK. WE'LL EXPLORE THE ARTISTRY OF AN ANCIENT JEWISH SYMBOL AND FIND OUT WHY IT'S STILL A MAJOR PART OF THE HANUKKAH TRADITION.

VAL>> IT'S ALL 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.

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

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW. IT'S A SOBERING STATISTIC. EVERY DAY, AIDS KILLS MORE PEOPLE THAN ALL THOSE WHO DIED IN THE COLLAPSE OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, YET MANY NOW THINK OF IT AS A CONTROLLABLE DISEASE AND SOME SAY THAT'S UNDERMINING THE AIDS BATTLE.

VAL>> DECEMBER 1 IS WORLD AIDS DAY AND, WHILE MANY WILL FOCUS ON HOW AIDS HAS SPREAD IN THE THIRD WORLD, THE EPIDEMIC IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL IN LOS ANGELES. THE QUESTION IS WHY? TONIGHT GAY YEE TAKES US TO THE STREETS IN SEARCH OF SOME ANSWERS.

GAY YEE>> FRIDAY NIGHT AND THE HOLLYWOOD CLUB SCENE. PEOPLE ARE ALL DRESSED UP, FLIRTING AND READY TO PARTY.

>> I TAKE MY CONDOMS WITH ME BECAUSE I TRY TO BE AS SAFE AS I CAN AND I TAKE IT ALL IN MY PURSE.

GAY YEE>> (LAUGHTER) HAVE CONDOMS, WILL TRAVEL.

>> CONDOMS. ALWAYS BE SAFE, YES. BETTER SAFE THAN, YOU KNOW, SORRY.

GAY YEE>> PEOPLE MAY BE PREACHING SAFE SEX ON THE WAY IN, BUT PRACTICING WHAT THEY PREACH IS A DIFFERENT MATTER.

>> IT'S REALLY KIND OF FEEBLE. YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WEAR PROTECTION OR YOU DON'T THINK OF IT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT THINKING OF THAT AT THE MOMENT.

GAY YEE>> THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES REPORTS HIV INFECTIONS ARE ON THE RISE HERE. THE BIGGEST JUMP IS AMONG YOUNG HOMOSEXUAL AND BISEXUAL MEN. TWO DECADES OF EFFORT BY THE GAY COMMUNITY TO EDUCATE ITS OWN APPEARS TO BE FAILING BECAUSE YOUNG GAYS DON'T HAVE THE MEMORIES.

CHARLES HENRY>> WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME IMAGES OF PEOPLE WASTING AWAY AND LOOKING AS SICKLY AS THEY DID IN THE EARLY PART OF THE EPIDEMIC. SO NOW PEOPLE CAN CONFUSE THAT WITH THINKING THE EPIDEMIC IS OVER, LET DOWN THEIR GUARD, AND WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION IN THE EPIDEMIC.

GAY YEE>> THE EPIDEMIC IS ALSO EXPANDING INTO L.A. COUNTY'S BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES WHERE THE AIDS MESSAGE HASN'T HIT HOME.

ALEX TORREZ>> THIS PLACE OVER HERE IS CALLED THE ARENA. IT'S LIKE ONE OF THE OLDEST GAY CLUBS HERE IN L.A. THIS IS WHERE I ACTUALLY MET THE PERSON THAT INFECTED ME --

GAY YEE>> -- RIGHT HERE?

ALEX TORREZ>> YEAH.

GAY YEE>> WHEN YOU WERE NINETEEN?

ALEX TORREZ>> WHEN I WAS NINETEEN.

GAY YEE>> ALEX IS TWENTY-THREE, LATINO, GAY AND HIV POSITIVE. HE CONTRACTED THE VIRUS HIS FIRST TIME HAVING SEX.

ALEX TORREZ>> I THOUGHT I WAS ALWAYS INVINCIBLE. I NEVER KNEW THAT ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN TO ME SO, YOU KNOW, I FIGURED, OKAY, YOU KNOW, IF I HAVE SEX FOR MY FIRST TIME, HEY, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME BECAUSE I'M INVINCIBLE AND I THOUGHT I KNEW EVERYTHING. BUT IN FACT, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING.

GAY YEE>> AMONG HIS MANY JOBS, ALEX IS A PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR LO NOESTRO, A GROUP THAT EDUCATES LATINO YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT AIDS AND HIV. SOMETIMES HE GOES INSIDE THE CLUBS TO HAND OUT FREE CONDOMS AND ADVICE ON SAFE SEX. THE CONDOMS GO FAST. THERE ARE FEWER TAKERS FOR ADVICE.

GAY YEE>> THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT OR WHAT?

ALEX TORREZ>> I THINK, LIKE I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S PART OF THEIR OWN PERSONAL TIME, SO WHEN WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT HIV AND AIDS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE THEY DON'T CARE. AND ESPECIALLY A LOT OF THESE KIDS, I'M PRETTY SURE THEY'RE IN THE MOOD BY THE END OF THE NIGHT AND THAT'S THE LAST THING THEY WANT TO HEAR OR TALK ABOUT IS HIV.

GAY YEE>> SO WHAT DO THEY THINK? IT JUST DOESN'T APPLY TO THEM?

ALEX TORREZ>> I THINK SO.

GAY YEE>> SAY YOU GOT AIDS NOW. SAY YOU GOT HIV. DO YOU THINK IT'S AS BAD AS IT USED TO BE?

>> WELL, I'M NOT REALLY CONCERNED, LIKE THE TECHNOLOGY RIGHT NOW AND ALL THE PILLS AND EVERYTHING IS ADVANCED, SO THEY ALREADY HAVE LIKE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SOLUTIONS AND VACCINES FOR IT, SO I DON'T REALLY THINK IT'S LIKE THAT MUCH OF A BIGGER BOTHER.

GAY YEE>> BUT RISKY BEHAVIOR IS JUST AS DANGEROUS TODAY AS EVER. THE BIG DIFFERENCE? POWERFUL NEW DRUGS MEAN PEOPLE INFECTED WITH HIV ARE LIVING LONGER. EXPERTS BELIEVE A THIRD OF THE PEOPLE INFECTED WITH HIV IN L.A. COUNTY DON'T EVEN KNOW IT.

PATT CHRISTEN>> THERE'S A LOT OF VIRUS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND SO SOMEONE WHO ENGAGES IN SAFE BEHAVIOR NINETY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE TIME AND FIVE PERCENT OF THE TIME MIGHT SLIP IS STILL AT EXTRAORDINARY RISK FOR HIV INFECTION. SO EVEN WITH EXTREMELY SAFE BEHAVIOR, YOU CAN STILL SEE INCREASES IN HIV TRANSMISSION WHICH ARE CONCERNING.

LYNN CHAMBERLAIN>> YOU READY? GO GET IT, GIRL.

GAY YEE>> LYNN CHAMBERLAIN NEVER CONSIDERED AIDS A THREAT. SHE THOUGHT ANYONE WITH AIDS HAD TO LOOK LIKE TOM HANKS IN THE MOVIE "PHILADELPHIA".

[FILM CLIP]

LYNN CHAMBERLAIN>> THEY WERE GAY WHITE MEN AND I DIDN'T SEE ANYONE THAT LOOKED LIKE ME.

GAY YEE>> YET SHE IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF HOW MANY MINORITY WOMEN IN THE COUNTY ARE CONTRACTING AIDS. SHE GREW UP IN A MIDDLE-CLASS AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILY, AN ALL-AMERICAN GIRL. SHE WAS EVEN A DEBUTANTE. THEN TEN YEARS AGO, WHILE A SENIOR AT TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY, LYNN STARTED EXPERIENCING MAJOR FATIGUE AND DISCOVERED SHE WAS HIV POSITIVE, INFECTED BY HER BOYFRIEND, WHO NEVER TOLD HER HE WAS BISEXUAL AND THAT HE'D KNOWN HE HAD AIDS FOR TWO YEARS.

LYNN CHAMBERLAIN>> AGAIN, I WAS IN SHOCK BECAUSE I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE WOULD KNOW THAT THEY HAD THIS DISEASE THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD POSSIBLY KILL THEM, LET ALONE SOMEONE ELSE, AND NOT TELL THEM AND NOT EVEN SUGGEST A CONDOM. NEVER MENTIONED.

>> WHERE DID THE COURAGE COME FROM FOR YOU TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP?

LYNN CHAMBERLAIN>> MY DECISION TO GO PUBLIC CAME IN ....

GAY YEE>> LYNN WENT ON THE SPEAKER CIRCUIT. SHE SPENDS PART OF THE YEAR AS A TRAINER FOR THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE'S BOOT CAMP, TEACHING FOOTBALL ROOKIES THEY CAN BE DECEIVED JUST AS SHE HAD BEEN DECEIVED.

LYNN CHAMBERLAIN>> SO I'M SITTING THERE AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA THAT I'M HIV POSITIVE AND, OF COURSE, MANY -- NOT OF COURSE (LAUGHTER) -- BUT MANY OF THE PLAYERS ARE ATTRACTED TO ME AND THEY DON'T KNOW. SO I'M TALKING WITH THEM, I'M EATING WITH THEM, WATCHING THEM TRAIN AND THEN THE NEXT DAY I GIVE A SEMINAR ON HIV AND AIDS AND I TELL THEM THAT I'M HIV POSITIVE AND THEY ARE FLOORED.

GAY YEE>> WITH THE HELP OF NEW AIDS MEDICATIONS, LYNN AND ALEX ARE DOING WELL, BUT TWENTY YEARS INTO THIS FIGHT, BOTH HAD HOPED WE WOULD HAVE GAINED MORE GROUND.

ALEX TORREZ>> EVEN FOR MY GAY FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, STILL THEY THINK THAT IT CANNOT HAPPEN TO THEM. AND WHEN I SEE THEM HAVING, YOU KNOW, SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS UNPROTECTED, IT REALLY BOTHERS ME.

LYNN CHAMBERLAIN>> BECAUSE IF YOU STILL HAVE PEOPLE OUT THERE BELIEVING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CONTRACTING HIV, THEN THAT'S A PROBLEM.

GAY YEE>> I'M GAY YEE FOR LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

JESS>> JOINING US NOW IS LEE KLOSINSKI. HE IS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR AIDS PROJECT L.A., WHICH MARKS ITS TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. IN TWENTY YEARS, WE'VE LEARNED A LOT, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND IS GROWING, RIGHT?

LEE KLOSINSKI>> THAT'S CORRECT. PART OF THE REASON THE PROBLEM IS GROWING IS BECAUSE OF OUR SUCCESS. WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY NOW THAN AT ANY POINT IN OUR HISTORY, OVER 50,000.

VAL>> THE EMPHASIS ON THE WORD "LIVING". THEY ARE ALIVE, THEY ARE SURVIVING LONGER.

LEE KLOSINSKI>> RIGHT, AND THAT'S THE HOPEFUL PART. THE CHALLENGING PART IS THAT, BECAUSE THEY'RE LIVING WELL, THAT MEANS THEY'RE ALSO ENGAGING IN BEHAVIORS WHICH POTENTIALLY COULD TRANSMIT HIV AND THAT MEANS THE EPIDEMIC IS FAR FROM OVER.

VAL>> NOW YOU SAW IN THE PIECE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE KIND OF COMPLACENT. AGAIN, THE SENSE OF URGENCY ISN'T THERE. WHO'S AT HIGH RISK RIGHT NOW? ARE YOUNG PEOPLE AMONG THE HIGH-RISK GROUPS?

LEE KLOSINSKI>> WELL, ANYONE WHO HAS UNPROTECTED SEX WITH A PARTNER OF AN UNKNOWN STATUS OR HIV INFECTED IS AT RISK. CERTAINLY YOUNG PEOPLE BRING A LOT OF DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES, A CERTAIN SENSE OF INVINCIBILITY THAT THIS COULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME, DENIAL, PROFOUND EXPERIMENTATION, WHICH HEIGHTEN RISK. BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE AT HERE IS THAT WE'RE AT AN INTERSECTION WHERE CLINICIANS, PEOPLE WHO TREAT PEOPLE WITH HIV, ARE EXTREMELY HOPEFUL ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE DRUG COCKTAIL THAT'S BEEN AVAILABLE NOW SINCE 1996 AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS WHO WANT TO PROMOTE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION ARE SAYING, WELL, YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT BEHAVIOR. SO WE HAVE OPTIMISM FROM ONE GROUP INVOLVED IN HEALTH AND THE TRADITIONAL CONCERNS WHICH AREN'T SEXY, AREN'T INTERESTING. IT'S LIKE BE CAREFUL, WATCH OUT, BE SAFE.

JESS>> ALMOST AS IMPORTANT AS THE SUCCESS OF SOME OF THE COCKTAILS AT LEAST IN RELIEVING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS IS THE NEW TEST THAT IS INSTANTANEOUS.

LEE KLOSINSKI>> WELL, PRETTY MUCH. IT TAKES ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES TO GET RESULTS AS OPPOSED TO WAITING TEN DAYS OR TWO WEEKS FOR THE RESULTS. MANY OF US AT AIDS PROJECT LOS ANGELES ARE REALLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SEA CHANGE, THAT IT WILL BE MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO GET THE RESULTS THE SAME DAY THAT THEY TEST.

JESS>> MANY GO FOR TESTS, BUT THEN DON'T GO BACK FOR THE RESULTS?

LEE KLOSINSKI>> RIGHT, AND THIS HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM. WHY DON'T THEY COME BACK? BECAUSE IT'S TEN DAYS OR TWO WEEKS OF LIVING HELL FOR A LOT OF FOLKS. A LOT OF WORRY, A LOT OF ANXIETY.

VAL>> A LOT OF ANXIETY. IS THAT RAPID TEST BEING USED RIGHT NOW OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S COMING?

LEE KLOSINSKI>> IT HAS BEEN USED, ACTUALLY, IN LOS ANGELES. THIS WAS ONE OF THE SITES WHERE IT WAS TESTED TO SEE IF IT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.

VAL>> AND ACCURATE?

LEE KLOSINSKI>> IT'S VERY ACCURATE. IT HAS HIGH SENSITIVITY, HIGH SPECIFICITY. IT WILL BE AVAILABLE PROBABLY IN THE SPRING ON A WIDESPREAD BASIS.

VAL>> AND THEN THE QUESTION IS, WILL THAT BECOME A HOME AIDS TEST KIT?

LEE KLOSINSKI>> WELL, THAT'S VERY CONCEIVABLE AND I THINK THAT THE TECHNOLOGY WILL BE THERE VERY SHORTLY. THAT HAS SOME MAJOR QUESTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. UNFORTUNATELY, --

VAL>> -- THE MAIN ONE BEING?

LEE KLOSINSKI>> THE MAIN ONE IS, CAN PEOPLE HANDLE THOSE RESULTS? IF YOU'RE IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR OWN HOME AND THE TEST COMES BACK REACTIVE, POSITIVE, CAN A PERSON REALLY HANDLE THAT WITHOUT ANY SUPPORT? OR CAN A PERSON FIND THEIR WAY INTO CARE AND TREATMENT, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT REASON FOR TESTING IN THE FIRST PLACE?

VAL>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LEE KLOSINSKI.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, A LOOK AT AN OLD LANDMARK WITH A BRAND NEW PURPOSE. IT'S A FORMER MENTAL HOSPITAL THAT IS NOW THE STATE'S NEWEST UNIVERSITY. IT'S CALLED CAL STATE CHANNEL ISLANDS.

>> IF YOU START SOMETHING NEW, YOU GET TO DO IT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRY AND CHANGE WHAT IS IN EXISTENCE. YOU GET TO CREATE IT THE WAY YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE CREATED.

JESS>> IF YOU'RE A NATURE LOVER, GET READY FOR A RARE TREAT. WE'RE ABOUT TO VISIT THE LARGEST MARINE RESERVE ON THE WEST COAST AND IT'S RIGHT IN OUR OWN BACK YARD. IT CONSISTS OF 175 SQUARE MILES OF PROTECTED AREA AROUND THE CHANNEL ISLANDS OFF THE COAST OF SANTA BARBARA. OVER THE PAST DECADE, THERE'S BEEN AN ALARMING DROP IN MANY OF THE MARINE SPECIES THERE AND NOW FISHING IS OFF-LIMITS AND EXPERTS SAY THAT SHOULD REVERSE THE TREND, BUT WHAT AN IMPACT THAT MAY HAVE ON COMMERCIAL FISHING.

VAL>> AND JOINING US NOW IS JOHN UGORETZ. HE'S A SENIOR MARINE BIOLOGIST WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

JOHN UGORETZ>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> WOULD YOU AGREE THAT THIS COULD HAVE MAJOR IMPACT ON COMMERCIAL FISHING?

JOHN UGORETZ>> WELL, IT WILL CERTAINLY HAVE SOME IMPACT, BUT IN THE LONG RUN, WE EXPECT IT TO LEAD TO SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES AND THAT WILL BE A POSITIVE EFFECT FOR EVERYBODY.

VAL>> IN FACT, THEY'VE SHOWN THAT, AROUND THE AREAS THAT ARE PROTECTED, LIKE NEXT TO THEM OR NEAR THEM, FISHERMEN CATCH MORE FISH? THEY CATCH BIGGER FISH?

JOHN UGORETZ>> ABSOLUTELY. THERE'S WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A SPILL-OVER EFFECT. SINCE THERE ARE NO WALLS IN THE OCEAN AND NO FENCES AROUND THESE RESERVES, THE FISH THAT GET BIGGER AND OLDER INSIDE THE RESERVES OFTENTIMES SPILL OUT TO THE OUTSIDE. THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENS IS THOSE FISH INSIDE PRODUCE LOTS AND LOTS OF YOUNG AND THEY SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE AREA, MAKING MORE FISH FOR EVERYBODY.

JESS>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMERCIAL FISHING, BUT IT'S THE SPORT FISHERMAN WHO IS REALLY UPSET ABOUT THIS.

JOHN UGORETZ>> AND THAT'S AN INTERESTING THING BECAUSE THE SPORT FISHERMAN IS UNIQUELY SUITED TO FISH RIGHT ON THE EDGES OF THOSE RESERVES. IN FLORIDA, FOR INSTANCE, IN A MARINE RESERVE THERE, THEY'VE SHOWN THAT THE MOST RECORD CATCHES OCCUR NEARBY THAT RESERVE AND SPORT FISHERMEN LOVE TO CATCH BIG FISH.

VAL>> BUT THIS IS A PRETTY BIG AREA, SO WHEN SPORTS FISHERMEN WERE TOLD YOU CANNOT FISH HERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF SEA THAT WAS OFF-LIMITS TO THEM. I GUESS THAT'S WHY THEY WERE UPSET.

JOHN UGORETZ>> THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF CONTROVERSY ABOUT IT. THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT, WHILE ABOUT TWENTY PERCENT OF STATE WATERS IN THE AREA HAS NOW BEEN SHUT DOWN TO FISHING, THAT LEAVES THE REMAINING EIGHTY PERCENT OPEN. EVEN THE LARGEST OF THESE RESERVES, FOR THE AVERAGE SPEED BOAT, WOULD TAKE ABOUT TEN TO TWENTY MINUTES TO TRANSIT ACROSS. SO YOU REALLY STILL HAVE QUITE A FEW OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE TO GO FISHING AND HAVE A GOOD TIME.

VAL>> NOW CAN THEY GO ACROSS THE AREA? THEY JUST CAN'T STOP AND FISH?

JOHN UGORETZ>> ABSOLUTELY. AN IMPORTANT THING TO GET OUT TO THE PUBLIC IS THAT YOU CAN TRANSIT THROUGH THE AREA. YOU CAN EVEN STOP AND ANCHOR IN THE AREA IF YOU'VE BEEN FISHING SOMEWHERE ELSE --

JESS>> -- SO BE SURE YOU'RE NOT TROLLING WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.

JOHN UGORETZ>> SO LONG AS YOUR GEAR IS STOWED ON THE BOAT, YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.

JESS>> YOU MENTION ABALONE AS AMONG THE SPECIES YOU'RE TRYING TO PROTECT, BUT IN FACT, ABALONE FISHING HAS BEEN OUTLAWED IN CALIFORNIA FOR YEARS, HASN'T IT?

JOHN UGORETZ>> FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. AGAIN, THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER THERE IS THAT, IN A MARINE RESERVE, WE'RE PROTECTING THE WHOLE ECOSYSTEM. FISHING FOR OTHER THINGS, LIKE SEA URCHINS OR EVEN SOME FIN FISH LIKE SHEEPHEAD, HAS AN IMPACT ON ABALONE. SO IN THESE AREAS, YOU'LL LET ALL OF THE MARINE LIFE INTERACT NATURALLY AND HOPEFULLY BENEFIT FOR THE LONG TERM.

VAL>> NOW THIS WAS A LONG EFFORT TO GET THIS ESTABLISHED. WHAT WAS THE DEGREE OF THE PROBLEM THAT LAUNCHED SUCH A BIG CAMPAIGN?

JOHN UGORETZ>> WELL, THE IMPETUS FOR THIS CAMPAIGN, SURPRISINGLY, CAME FROM RECREATIONAL FISHERMEN. A GROUP OF FISHERMEN CAME TO THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION NEARLY FOUR YEARS AGO AND SUGGESTED CLOSING TWENTY PERCENT OF THE ISLANDS. THOSE FISHERMEN WERE OLDER AND MATURE AND HAD SEEN THE FISH DECLINE OVER THE YEARS.

VAL>> AND THEN DID SCIENTISTS CONFIRM WHAT THEY PERCEIVED?

JOHN UGORETZ>> ABSOLUTELY. THERE ARE MANY FISH STOCKS IN CALIFORNIA THAT ARE NOW FEDERALLY DESIGNATED AS OVER-FISHED. THE WHITE ABALONE HAS RECENTLY BEEN LISTED AS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES AND THAT'S THE FIRST MARINE INVERTEBRATE TO BE SO.

JESS>> YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS A PERMANENT THING TOO? THIS IS NOT JUST A TEMPORARY FIX? THESE WILL BE PERMANENT RESTRICTIONS?

JOHN UGORETZ>> THEY ARE. THERE IS SOME AMOUNT OF ABILITY TO CHANGE THEM AND, SHOULD THE SIGNS SHOW LATER ON THAT WE NEED TO ALTER THEM IN SOME WAY OR EVEN REMOVE THEM, WE CAN. BUT THE IDEA IS TO LEAVE THEM IN PLACE FOR A LONG TIME SO THAT NATURE CAN ACT THE WAY IT WOULD WITHOUT HUMAN EXTRACTION.

JESS>> IS THERE SOME HISTORY OF PRESERVES THAT HAVE WORKED SO WELL?

JOHN UGORETZ>> ABSOLUTELY. EVEN IN CALIFORNIA, YOU CAN SEE IT. THE ONLY EXISTING RESERVE AT THE CHANNEL ISLANDS IS A VERY SMALL AREA AT ANACAPA ISLAND. WITHIN THAT RESERVE, YOU SEE BIGGER FISH, YOU SEE MORE FISH, YOU SEE MORE TYPES OF FISH AND THAT'S SHOWN AROUND THE WORLD IN MARINE RESERVES.

VAL>> SO THESE RESERVES, DO THEY GO LIKE RIGHT UP TO THE SHORE? DO THEY INCLUDE THE SEA LIONS ON THE SHORE OR ARE THEY TOTALLY OUT AT SEA?

JOHN UGORETZ>> WELL, THEY GO UP TO THE MEAN HIGH TIDE LINE AND, AGAIN, WHILE THEY DON'T DIRECTLY PROTECT SOMETHING LIKE A SEAL OR A SEA LION, THOSE ANIMALS DO INTERACT WITH THE THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN THE RESERVES AND ALSO, BY LIMITING SOME OF THE BOAT TRAFFIC THROUGH LESS COMMERCIAL OR RECREATIONAL FISHING, YOU'RE PROTECTING SOME CRITICAL NESTING AREAS AND BROODING AREAS FOR BOTH MAMMALS AND BIRDS ON THE ISLANDS.

JESS>> AND THAT'S OUR STATE FISH.

JOHN UGORETZ>> YOU'RE SEEING THE GARIBALDI THERE, WHICH IS ALREADY PROTECTED, BUT AGAIN --

VAL>> -- THAT'S OUR STATE FISH?

JOHN UGORETZ>> STATE MARINE FISH.

VAL>> OH, OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD A STATE FISH (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> WE HAVE A STATE FUNGUS (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) WE HAVE A STATE EVERYTHING. NOW THIS IS THE THIRD LARGEST? I UNDERSTAND THE OTHER TWO LARGE NATIONAL MARINE RESERVES, ONE IS IN FLORIDA, ONE IS AROUND HAWAII, IS THAT RIGHT?

JOHN UGORETZ>> CORRECT.

VAL>> BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY HOPING TO MAKE THIS EVEN BIGGER EVENTUALLY?

JOHN UGORETZ>> WELL, POSSIBLY. THE MARINE LIFE PROTECTION ACT REQUIRES THE STATE TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE COAST OF CALIFORNIA AND DECIDE HOW MARINE RESERVES WILL FIT INTO THAT PICTURE. THAT'S A LONG WAY OFF AND WE'RE RIGHT AT THE STARTING POINT OF DISCUSSING IT. THE NICE THING ABOUT CHANNEL ISLANDS IS THAT IT GIVES US GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY IT AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESERVES FOR THE REST OF THE COAST.

VAL>> HOW MUCH SPORTS FISHING AND COMMERCIAL FISHING WERE HAPPENING IN THE AREA? IN OTHER WORDS, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING SHOVED OUT?

JOHN UGORETZ>> WELL, IT'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE BEING MOVED OR SHOVED OUT, BUT THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF FISHING THAT GOES ON AROUND THE CHANNEL ISLANDS. COMMERCIALLY, IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO CALIFORNIA FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT. THE SQUID FISHERY IS FOCUSED ON CHANNEL ISLANDS AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC FISHERIES IN THE STATE.

JESS>> WHY IS IT THAT THIS AREA HAS SUCH A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF SEA LIFE?

JOHN UGORETZ>> IT SITS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF TWO VERY DISTINCT OCEAN REGIMES. ONE IS THE COLDER WATERS TO THE NORTH IN WHAT'S CALLED THE OREGONIAN SYSTEM AND THEN THE WARMER WATERS TO THE SOUTH IN THE CALIFORNIAN SYSTEM. IT'S THE MIXING OF THOSE WATERS THAT PRODUCES THIS HUGE DIVERSITY OF LIFE AT THE ISLANDS AND A REALLY AMAZING PLACE TO SEE.

VAL>> SO YOU MUST HAVE BEEN JUST THRILLED WHEN THIS FINALLY WAS APPROVED?

JOHN UGORETZ>> WE'RE VERY HAPPY. IT'S BEEN A LONG AND DIFFICULT PROCESS AND WE REALLY DO THINK THAT THIS IS A NEW START FOR MARINE FISHERIES IN CALIFORNIA AND FOR MANAGEMENT OF THOSE FISHERIES.

JESS>> IN THE CHANNEL BETWEEN SANTA BARBARA AND THE CHANNEL ISLANDS, THERE ARE, WHAT, THREE VARIETIES OF WHALES?

JOHN UGORETZ>> THERE ARE TREMENDOUS NUMBERS OF WHALES AND DOLPHINS AND SEALS AND SEA LIONS. IT'S A REALLY GREAT PLACE. THOSE ANIMALS COME TO THE CHANNEL BECAUSE OF THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE THERE, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF FORAGE SPECIES THERE. AGAIN, WHILE THESE RESERVES AREN'T PROTECTING THOSE LARGER MAMMALS DIRECTLY, THEY ARE PROTECTING SOME OF THOSE FORAGE SPECIES AND COULD ACTUALLY HAVE AN IMPACT.

VAL>> JOHN UGORETZ FROM CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND CONGRATULATIONS.

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JESS>> THIS WEEK, JEWISH FAMILIES WILL BEGIN OBSERVING HANUKKAH AND, IN MANY HOMES, YOU'LL FIND A FAMILIAR SYMBOL OF THE JEWISH FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS.

VAL>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL CANDLEHOLDERS USED TO MARK THE HOLIDAY. THEY'RE CALLED HANUKKAH LAMPS AND TONIGHT GAY YEE TAKES US TO THE SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER TO SHARE THE BEAUTY OF THIS VERY SPECIAL SYMBOL.

NANCY BERMAN>> HANUKKAH REPRESENTS A MIRACULOUS MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE. A SMALL BAND OF PIOUS JEWS OVERCAME THE SYRIAN ENEMY AND IT WAS REALLY A MIRACLE THAT THEY DID THAT, MILITARILY. THEY THEN WENT TO CLEAN UP THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM WHICH HAD BEEN DESECRATED BY THE SYRIANS. THEY HAD A LITTLE AMOUNT OF OIL THAT WOULD HAVE LASTED FOR JUST ONE DAY, BUT IT LASTED FOR EIGHT DAYS, SO WE CELEBRATE BY LIGHTING A LIGHT FOR EIGHT DAYS TO ACTUALLY PROCLAIM THE MIRACLE.

GAY YEE>> TODAY, THE HANUKKAH LAMP IS CONSIDERED AN ART FORM IN ITSELF AND OVER TWO HUNDRED LAMPS ARE NOW GATHERED IN THIS COLLECTION IN THE SKIRBALL MUSEUM IN LOS ANGELES.

NANCY BERMAN>> NO MATTER WHAT PLACE IN THE WORLD YOU CELEBRATED HANUKKAH, YOU WOULD CELEBRATE BY USING A LAMP THAT HAD EIGHT PLACES TO LIGHT. THAT NEVER CHANGES. THAT IS WHAT THE JEWS ARE CELEBRATING. WHAT DOES CHANGE IS HOW THE LAMP LOOKS. THE LAMP REFLECTS THE CULTURE AND THE SOCIETY IN WHICH THOSE JEWS LIVED.

THIS ONE, FOR INSTANCE, IS FROM NINETEENTH CENTURY GERMANY. IT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE THE GERMAN ARCHITECTURE OF THE PERIOD. IF YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPH WE HAVE OF THE BERLIN OPERA HOUSE IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, YOU CAN SEE SIMILARITIES IN THE ARCHITECTURE.

THIS HANUKKAH LAMP, WHICH IS ALSO FROM GERMANY FROM THE LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY, IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT, AS YOU CAN SEE. IT'S ALMOST LIKE LITTLE FOLK CHAIRS.

GAY YEE>> BUT WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHAIRS?

NANCY BERMAN>> THIS ONE, WHILE IT'S IN A VERY ELEGANT, AS I SAID, ART NOUVEAU STYLE, IT'S ALSO FUN AND IT REMINDS ONE OF A GAME, SO IT'S PICKING UP ON THAT ASPECT OF THE HOLIDAYS.

GAY YEE>> SPEAKING OF FUN, THIS ONE, THIS OAK TREE LAMP.

NANCY BERMAN>> THIS IS REALLY A RARE, ONE-OF-A-KIND LAMP. WHAT WE HAVE ON THIS EIGHTEENTH CENTURY LAMP IS A WHOLE HUNTING SCENE. YOU CAN SEE A GOLDEN BEAR WHO'S SCURRYING UP THIS TREE TRUNK. SOMEBODY HAS PUT A HONEY POT ON THE BOTTOM LEFT BRANCH AND IT'S SO NATURALISTIC THAT IT HAS A BEE ON IT. SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT THE REASON THIS MIGHT BE HERE IS BECAUSE OF A HASIDIC STORY ABOUT HOW ONE LIKENS JEWISH HISTORY IN THE TORAH TO HONEY, SOMETHING SWEET, SOMETHING WE WANT. ANOTHER THING IS THAT THE MENORAH FORM, WHICH IS THE CANDELABRA FORM, IN THIS CASE LOOKS LIKE A REAL TREE.

GAY YEE>> ISN'T THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MENORAH AND A HANUKKAH LAMP?

NANCY BERMAN>> YES. THE MENORAH IS DESCRIBED IN EXODUS. THE MENORAH WAS A LAMP STAND WITH SEVEN BRANCHES THAT STOOD BOTH IN THE SANCTUARY IN THE DESERT AND LATER IN THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. MENORAH REALLY MEANS A CANDELABRA. THE SEVEN-BRANCH MENORAH, THE SEVEN-BRANCH CANDELABRA, CANNOT SATISFY THE RITUAL OF HANUKKAH.

GAY YEE>> SO THAT'S NOT A HANUKKAH LAMP?

NANCY BERMAN>> SO THAT'S NOT A HANUKKAH LAMP. A HANUKKAH LAMP IS A LAMP THAT HAS A PLACE FOR EIGHT LIGHTS AND A NINTH FOR THE SERVANT LIGHT. SOMETIMES HANUKKAH LAMPS TAKE THE FORM OF CANDELABRAS AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T, LIKE THESE BENCH TYPE OR THE ONE THAT LOOKS LIKE THE TEMPLE. AND THE REASON IT'S STYLED AS A BENCH AND THE REASON THEY HAVE A BACK PANEL LIKE THIS IS SO THAT IT COULD SIT ON A TABLE NEAR THE WINDOW OR SO THAT IT COULD HANG NEAR THE WINDOW. AS I SAID, THE RITUAL IS REALLY TO PROCLAIM THE HOLIDAYS WITH THE LIGHTS.

GAY YEE>> SO LIKE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ARE PLACED OUTSIDE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE, --

NANCY BERMAN>> -- YES, EXACTLY.

GAY YEE>> -- HANUKKAH LAMPS WERE MEANT TO BE OUTSIDE IN THE WINDOW?

NANCY BERMAN>> YES. ONE THING ABOUT THE HANUKKAH LAMP IS THAT THERE'S NO LAW THAT SAYS WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE. JEWS HAVE BEEN FREE FOR A MILLENNIA TO CREATE HANUKKAH LAMPS IN WHATEVER SHAPE THEY CHOSE. THEY JUST HAD TO MAKE SURE IT FOLLOWED THE REQUIREMENT. SO THIS RETENTION AND THIS ADAPTATION TO THE WORLD'S STYLE, TO THE PLACE THAT THEY HAD LIVED IN, IS REALLY A METAPHOR FOR I THINK THE VITALITY OF JEWISH LIFE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND THROUGHOUT THE CENTURY. THE HANUKKAH LAMP REALLY SHOWS ALL THAT.

JESS>> HANUKKAH BEGINS FRIDAY EVENING. YOU CAN SEE THOSE BEAUTIFUL HANUKKAH LAMPS IN PERSON. THEY'RE AT THE SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER IN BRENTWOOD. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK THEIR WEBSITE, SKIRBALL.ORG, FOR HOURS AND LOCATION OR CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN.

[310-440-4500]

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