'SoCal Connected' debuts tonight

KCET's replacement for the late, lamented "Life and Times" premieres on Channel 28 at 8 pm. Val Zavala is the anchor of SoCal Connected, as she was on L&T. The first show includes a piece by Lisa Ling that looks at the foreclosure wave through the eyes of people who deal with the aftermath such as neighbors, clean-up crews and city workers who deal with stagnant swimming pools. Former ABC correspondent Judy Muller is scheduled to report on the disappearing middle class, and LAT columnist-KPCC host Patt Morrison is aboard as a commentator. If I'm not mistaken, Morrison got her broadcast start way back on "Life & Times" in the Jess Marlow, Hugh Hewitt and Ruben Martinez era, pre-Jess Marlow and Zavala. In addition to Zavala, back from the award-winning "Life and Times" crew are Supervising Producer Linda Burns and Producer Vicki Curry. (Executive Producer Bret Marcus led the "California Connected" team.) The website includes a blog with contributors that will apparently include author D.J. Waldie, former L.A. Times columnist Erin Aubry Kaplan and LAPD detective-novelist Will Beall, among others. The site is still at the Lorem ipsum dolor phase, but it looks about ready to go. SCC airs again on Saturdays at 6 pm and Sundays at noon.