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Hidden Homeless, Mortgage Scams & Steve Lopez
By SoCal Connected Staff
November 19, 2009
More and more middle-class families are finding themselves on the streets. Correspondent Lisa Ling reports on this new group, she calls the Hidden Homeless.
Even more people find themselves on the brink - facing foreclosure on their homes. That's bad enough, but now, as the LA Time's David Lazarus reports, scammers are coming out of the woodwork to offer help. False help as it turns out.
And LA Times columnist Steve Lopez says don't believe recent reports showing homeless is actually decreasing.The Young and the Homeless
By Steve Proffitt
November 18, 2009
Los Angeles County contains the largest number of people living below the poverty line in the entire country. With the high cost of living here, it's no wonder that many of those people are homeless.
Even sadder, among those homeless are thousands of children.
We present some disturbing facts, collected by the social service agency, School on Wheels.
Ling, Lazarus and Lopez
By Steve Proffitt
November 16, 2009
A new class of homeless: Lisa Ling reports on middle-class families hit hard by the recession, and out on the street.
Don't believe it: The LA TIme's Steve Lopez says recent data showing homelessness decreasing is bunk.
And, not homeless yet, but close: Consumer columnist David Lazarus on a rash of scams targeting homeowners facing foreclosure.
Plus another chance to test your neighborhood knowledge in the visual puzzle, Name That Spot.
Name That Spot #3: The Answer
By Steve Proffitt
November 13, 2009
Thanks to all who wrote in. This week's Spot is the headquarters for our city's public library system, one of the largest in the world.
Designed by architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, the building is topped with a pyramid, and includes a four-wall mural by illustrator Dean Cornwell.
On April, 29, 1986 an arson fire severely damaged the building and destroyed a significant part of the library's collection. The whole city came together to raise funds for the restoration of the Central Library, which reopened in October of 1993
Commentary: Swine Flu
By SoCal Connected Staff
November 11, 2009
Update: Hung Out To Dry?
By SoCal Connected Staff
November 11, 2009
Catching Arsonists
By SoCal Connected Staff
November 11, 2009
Arson, FEMA Flood Follow-up, Swine Flu
By SoCal Connected Staff
November 11, 2009
Correspondent Angie Crouch reports on the work of the region's arson investigators and the tough business of piecing together evidence at a crime scene that has been ravaged by fire.
We follow up on last week's story about FEMA declaring parts of Los Angeles as flood zones. It turns out LA is not alone. This week we look at Ventura, where FEMA and the county have been going round and round over what is, and isn't in a flood zone.
And our commentator Marcos Villatoro relates his personal tale of involvement with the Swine Flu.
Name That Spot #3
By Steve Proffitt
November 11, 2009
SoCal Connected presents a little diversion to test your neighborhood knowledge - Name That Spot.
Here are some visual details from a specific site somewhere in Southern California. It might be a city block, a neighborhood, a park, or a civic institution. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to study the material and try to guess the location.
OK. Can you Name That Spot?
You can use our contact form to send us your guess.
And if you missed it, try your luck with last week's Name That Spot.
Name That Spot #2
By Steve Proffitt
November 5, 2009
SoCal Connected presents a little diversion to test your neighborhood knowledge - Name That Spot.
Here are some visual details from a specific site somewhere in Southern California. It might be a city block, a neighborhood, a park, or a civic institution. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to study the material and try to guess the location.
OK. Can you Name That Spot?
You can use our contact form to send us your guess. (Just make sure to select "Name That Spot" as a subject.) Or, those of you using Twitter can tweet your guess using the #SCCNAME Twitter hashtag using the embedded window below. Sorry, no prizes for the winners. This is Public Television.
Try the first Name That Spot. It's a single block in the heart of Hollywood.
Name That Spot #2: The Answer
By Steve Proffitt
November 5, 2009
Most of the viewers that wrote in got this one. The correct answer: Leimert Park.
Situated just north of the Crenshaw District, this beautiful neighborhood was originally developed in the late 1920's. It features lots of tasteful architecture, and lots of spectacular trees. For more than a generation, it's been a focal point for African-American arts and culture in Los Angeles.
Michael Connelly: One-on-One
By SoCal Connected Staff
November 4, 2009
Hung Out To Dry?
By SoCal Connected Staff
November 4, 2009
Some residents of LA neighborhoods recently got a nasty surprise. FEMA, The Federal Emergency Management Agency, recently declared parts of LA to be flood zones. But, as correspondent Judy Muller reports, FEMA used 40 year-old maps as the basis for their decision. And the City of LA failed to intervene, even though FEMA gave them the chance. Now many residents are facing huge bills for insurance, and are blaming both federal and local governments for hanging them out to dry.
The Food Wars
By SoCal Connected Staff
October 28, 2009
For over a year now there has been a moratorium on issuing new permits for fast-food restaurants in an area of South Central LA. Some see it as just one step government can take in combating an epidemic of obesity. Others say even if government could make us eat better, banning fast-food restaurants is not the solution. Plus, they're a long, and vibrant part of LA eating - food trucks. And humorist Brian Unger says life is scary enough - who needs Halloween?
Name That Spot #1
By Steve Proffitt
October 27, 2009
CHEAT! CHEAT! The answer is here.
SoCal Connected introduces a little diversion to test your neighborhood knowledge - Name That Spot.
Here are some visual details from a specific site somewhere in Southern California. It might be a city block, a park, or a civic institution. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to study the material and try to guess the location.
OK. Can you Name That Spot?
CHEAT! CHEAT! The answer is here.
If you have a location to suggest for Name That Spot, use our contact form to send us your guess. .
Post-Recession Halloween
By SoCal Connected Staff
October 27, 2009
Congratulations! The recession is unofficially over.
Still, there are foreclosures on almost every block. Unemployment is at historic highs. The budget deficit is ballooning and the planet is warming. Do we really need a scary holiday, when EVERYDAY is scary enough? Humorist Brian Unger ponders Halloween, during the Great Recession.
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Recent Comments
Unfortunately you're probably out of luck in terms of getting your money back ri...
"Hidden Homeless" is a valuable look at a growing problem throughout the country...
The hidden homeless story is so touching, this family is amazingly brave to tell...
Homeless families who do not come out of a middle class background have the same...
So, what can you do once you've paid up front for what now looks to be a scam? W...