Which Way, L.A.?

AQMD Loses in Supreme Court

After years of improvement, air pollution has produced an increasing number of health alerts in Southern California. In 1998, air pollution officials in Southern California thought they-d never have to call another Stage 1 Health Alert, but last year, there were 68 bad health days, twice as many as there were in 2001. Yesterday, the US Supreme Court struck down the South Coast Air Quality Management District-s attempt to control 70 percent of Southern California-s air pollution, the kind caused by trucks and cars. Today, the American Lung Association said that LA leads the US again in smog caused by ozone and particles from power plants and diesel exhaust. What's next? Warren Olney gets the latest on the US Supreme Court, the AQMD and the Clean Air Act. Making News: Gooogle to Go Public Gooogle has finally done it. The Internet search engine filed with the SEC today, applying to raise up to $2.7 billion in its stock market debut. Nick Wingfield, who is based in San Francisco for the Wall Street Journal, says that although it won't happen for a few months, the unconventional company will be going public in a most unconventional way--with a blind online auction. Reporter's Notebook: The Economist Surveys California California has too many liberal politicians and too many conservative voters, according to a 14- page -Survey of California,- running in Britain-s Economist magazine, on the news stands tomorrow. From London, the magazine's US Editor, John Mickelthwait, talks about what-s the matter with the Golden State and whether Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger can do anything about it.