Which Way, L.A.?

Ninety-four percent of the teachers who voted have authorized a walkout at all 23 California State University campuses. Their core demand is a 5% raise; they've been offered 2%. Will the vote mean trouble ahead for educating the state's future workforce?

The Superintendent of LA Schools is a powerful figure in a goldfish bowl. Remember John Deasy and the iPad scandal? The new, computerized scheduling system that failed? Child abuse at Miramonte Elementary? The elected school board wants public input on who should be next for the job — but it won't make public who the candidates are.

Democracy in California has become the province of very few people. In fact, as the state has grown larger, the number of those with political power has grown proportionally smaller. It's not the result of a conspiracy but a lack of participation....

Ninety-four percent of the teachers who voted have authorized a walkout at all 23 California State University campuses. Their core demand is a 5% raise; they've been offered 2%. Will the vote mean trouble ahead for educating the state's future workforce?

There's supposed to be an unbreachable wall between news stories and advertising, but more and more advertising is designed to look like news. The LA Times is among the financially strapped publications that take money to produce articles that...

Democracy in California has become the province of very few people. In fact, as the state has grown larger, the number of those with political power has grown proportionally smaller. It's not the result of a conspiracy but a lack of participation. We hear about efforts to make it easier for Californians to vote -- and increase the number who want to.

There's supposed to be an unbreachable wall between news stories and advertising, but more and more advertising is designed to look like news. The LA Times is among the financially strapped publications that take money to produce articles that promote special interest groups. They're not written by news reporters, but how's a reader to know? Even if there's clear labeling, will doubts be raised about credibility?

It's one of the biggest contracts in Pentagon history. Northrup-Grumman has won the right to build 100 new stealth bombers in Palmdale, which is celebrating predictions of thousands of new jobs after years of economic decline.Does that mean a return...

For 30 years, Exide was allowed to recycle lead batteries in Vernon without a full permit. Thousands of children in surrounding neighborhoods appear to have been exposed to lead poison. Now the state agency that stood by while environmental crimes...

It's one of the biggest contracts in Pentagon history. Northrup-Grumman has won the right to build 100 new stealth bombers in Palmdale, which is celebrating predictions of thousands of new jobs after years of economic decline.Does that mean a return to the halcyon days of 25 years ago? Does the Air Force really need 100 new bombers?