CALTRANS VS. MOM TO ENTER ROUND 2.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

CASTAIC - The case of the patriotic Army mom versus a Caltrans employee directed to remove a pro-troop display will go before the state Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday.

Castaic resident Penny Young, whose son, Army Pfc. Sean Young, is currently in airborne training at Ft. Bening, Ga., claims she was pushed April 2 by a Caltrans crew member when she tried to protect a display of handmade signs and yellow ribbons on a freeway fence facing The Old Road at Hillcrest Parkway.

Caltrans officials counter that the worker was assaulted and blame the Daily News for instigating the altercation.

The hearing will examine two areas of the incident: the conduct of Caltrans personnel at the scene and the policy governing removal of displays from Caltrans property, said state Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks.

Young is expected to attend the hearing, as are Caltrans officials.

``My objective to having this hearing is to get an apology from Caltrans for Penny Young,'' said McClintock from his Sacramento office. ``We also want to get a commitment from Caltrans to leave Penny Young and her display alone and find out what action has been taken to ensure that this kind of incident won't happen again.''

The hearing is listed as informational, but according to Sen. Kevin Murray, D-Los Angeles, the committee chairman, the outcome could influence how legislators view Caltrans proposals in the future.

``People in bureaucracies listen to hearings,'' Murray said. ``This hearing will clearly highlight and explore how Caltrans treated this particular incident.''

Meanwhile, the California Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.