Twilight of the panther

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Bill Sharpsteen

Dirty Water is the riveting story of how Howard Bennett, a Los Angeles schoolteacher with a gift for outrageous rhetoric, fought pollution in Santa Monica Bay--and won. The story begins in 1985, when many scientists considered the bay to be one of the most polluted bodies of water in the world. The insecticide DDT covered portions of the sea floor. Los Angeles discharged partially treated sewage into its waters. Lifeguards came down with mysterious illnesses. And Howard Bennett happily swam in it every morning. By accident, Bennett learned that Los Angeles had applied for a waiver from the Clean Water Act to continue discharging sewage into the bay. Incensed that he had been swimming in dirty water, Bennett organized oddball coalition to orchestrate stunts such as wrapping brown ribbon around LA's city hall and issuing Dirty Toilet Awards to chastise the city's administration. This is the fast-paced story of how this unusual cast of characters created an environmental movement in Los Angeles that continues to this day with the nationally recognized Heal the Bay. Character-driven, compelling, and uplifting, Dirty Water tells how even the most polluted water can be cleaned up-by ordinary people.

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David W. Haines and Karen E. Rosenblum

Few issues have provoked as much controversy over the last decade as illegal immigration. While some argue for the need to seal America's borders and withdraw all forms of social and governmental support for illegal migrants and their children, others argue for humanitarian treatment--including legalization--for people who fill widely acknowledged needs in American industry and agriculture and have left home-country situations of economic hardship or political persecution. The study of illegal immigration necessarily confronts a broad range of migrants--from the familiar border crossers to those who enter illegally and overstay their visas, to the many unrecognized refugees who enter the country to seek protection under U.S. asylum law. The subject also demands attention to American society's responses to these newcomers--responses that often focus on limited elements of a complex issue. A comprehensive, up-to-date review of this volatile subject, this book provides an accessible, balanced introduction to the subject. Covering the full range of illegal immigrants from Mexican border crossers to Central American refugees, illegal Europeans, and smuggled Chinese, the book considers the kind of work the migrants do and the public response to them. The work is divided into four parts: Concepts, Policies, and Numbers; The Migrants and Their Work; The Responses; and Illegal Immigration in Perspective.

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Daniel C. McCool

In this first book-length discussion of Utah's water policies, contributors offer a comprehensive assessment of the political impact of water in the nation's second driest state. After examining the historical background, individual scholars focus on the Central Utah Project (CUP), the principal legislative plan for streamlining economic growth and demands on water resources in the state. Their analysis concentrates on four "water imperatives" - economics, environmental impact, social and cultural impact, and the question of fairness and equity when dividing this valuable resource. The authors describe the debate over priorities for water use, with agriculture, tourism, and urban development groups each staking a claim for their particular needs. They then examine in detail the various potential sources of water, proper maintenance of those sources, and effective methods for using water efficiently and conserving it. A concluding section places Utah water politics within the national context and discusses forthcoming state and national legislation that will affect Utah's water resources. This book should prove invaluable to general readers and policymakers alike who wish to learn more about Utah's water politics in anticipation of critical forthcoming legislative debates on these issues.

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Stephen J. Cannell

Swat teams refer to doorways as "vertical coffins" because they are most vulnerable when passing through them. The new Shane Scully novel starts with a bang as an L.A. sherrifs deputy is gunned down on the front porch of a house while serving a routine warrant. The arrest is given to the Sherriff's Department by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, who neglects to mention the man is suspected of hording an arsenal of illegal weapons.