Health Science & Tech News

Banning indoor smoking is paying off.  In Pueblo, Colorado, heart attack hospitalizations fell after a law passed banning smoking in public and workplaces, says the Center for Disease Control; 399 heart attack hospitalizations occurred 18 months prior to the smoke ban law and 237 in the 18-month period after the ban. Areas near, but not affected by the ban had no decline in heart attack hospitalizations during the same period.  Reports showed smoke-free laws reduce hospitalizations not just for smokers, but non-smokers as well, limiting exposure to secondhand smoke.

Astronomers once thought that major galaxies in Earth’s cosmic neighborhood —our Milky Way—was weak compared to the larger Andromeda.  Now studies say the Milky Way is larger and spinning faster than believed.  Scientists found that it is 15 percent larger in breadth and 50 percent heavier.  The American Astronomical Society presented its findings at a convention in Long Beach, California.  The news is not terrific.  A bigger Milky Way means it has the strength to cause a hefty crash into a neighboring Andromeda galaxy sooner than predicted. But don’t panic…if it happens it’s billions of years away.

World News: February 2009

An Israeli air strike carrying out a series of attacks at night killed Abu Zakaria al-Jamal, a senior Hamas commander of the armed wing of Hamas.  In yet another strike it bombed the house of top Hamas operative Imad Akel and reports state that the Israeli military heard secondary blasts in the house, indicating weapons and explosives were in the home.  An Israeli warplane dropped a 2,000-pound bomb on the home of one of Hamas’ top five decision-makers, killing him and 18 others.  The airstrike on Nizar Rayan was the first that succeeded in killing a member of Hamas’ highest echelon since Israel first began its offensive operations.

Several powerful earthquakes struck in eastern Indonesia killing at least four people and injuring dozens more.  Reports of down power lines and buildings hitting the ground came as the 7.3-magnitude tremor sent a series of small tsunamis into Japan’s southeastern coast, where there were no reports of damage.  As the first 7.6-magnitude quake struck about 85 miles from Manokwari, Papua, 10 aftershocks soon followed.

This past November’s Mumbai attack had support from official agencies in Pakistan, stated Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accusing Pakistan of   “whipping up the war hysteria.”  India reportedly gave evidence to Islamabad linking attacks to “elements” in Pakistan.

Approximately 170 people died as 10 gunmen made the vicious attacks.  The Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba is blamed for the killings, but both LeT and the Pakistani government have denied any involvement.

Sources reported that opposition lawmakers ended a violent, 12-day siege of South Korea’s Parliament after delaying a crucial vote on a U.S. free-trade deal and other legislation.  Democratic Party legislators occupied Parliament since Dec. 26, 2008 keeping security guards at bay who tried to overtake them.  The sit-in ended when the Assembly speaker assured them that the governing party would not run the bills through before the next American president took office. Parties agreed to hold the vote until after President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration on January 20, 2009.

Islamist fighters took control of several bases vacated by Ethiopian troops in the Somali capital.  The city remains under extreme pressure as fear grows that militant al-Shabab fighters will launch further attacks against peacekeepers in a bid to take control of the city.  Reports state that ICU took over six bases when Ethiopia withdrew the last of its troops, bringing to an end its bid to protect  the capital.  The ICU was thrown out of power by Ethiopia in late 2006.  The al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab continues attacks on the African Union mission known as AMISOM.  Muktar Robow,Al-Shabab’s spokesman stated that his group sees no difference between Ethiopian troops and AMISOM peacekeepers.

An untimely dispute over natural gas between Russia and Ukraine left major parts of Europe without heat or fuel for several days.  This incident prompted the signing of an agreement with the European Union to establish independent monitors of pipelines—a condition set by Russian energy officials so they would turn on the gas flow.  The dispute between Russian and the Ukraine started over pricing and accusations of stealing gas from the export pipelines.  Europeans were left literally to freeze in the cold during the dead of winter.  Especially hard hit were Poland and Bulgaria where temperatures went below zero.  More bad news after the agreement was signed when it was noted it would take three days to restore full service.  The underlying price dispute was still not fully resolved.

The Gulf nation of Qatar announced at an Arab summit a freeze against Israel protesting ongoing bloodshed in Gaza that widened the gap between pro-U.S. Arab nations and Middle East rivals.  U.S. allies Egypt and Saudi Arabia boycotted a gathering in the Qatari capital, which had been called by Qatar to forge a united stance over the Gaza violence.  The meeting was dominated however,  by backers of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.  Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a top Hamas supporter, made a hard stand appearance, along with Hamas’ Syria-based political chief Khaled Mashaal.  They fired back at Israel calling for Arab and Muslim nations to cut any bilateral ties they have with the Jewish state.

Four Iranians went to trial on charges of attempting to overthrow the Iran government.  Also included in the charges were that the men had conspired and worked with the United States to support the effort.  Two of the men were convicted of “adultery, murder and other crimes” and executed by stoning in the northeastern city of Mashad.  Punishment for the other two men who were additionally accused of plotting against the government was set for a future date.  The four Iranian men were  were arrested in Tehran and were said to have recruited forces to train.  Reports state that the men worked throughout the country and received funds from the State Department or the C.I.A. from a budget that was approved by the U.S. Senate for overthrowing the Iran regime. 

A supertanker owned by Saudi oil-companies was held hostage by pirates off the coast of Somalia for two months.  It was said to be released for a ransom totaling $3 million, stated one of the pirates and resident of Xarardheere, a pirate town on the Somali coast near where the tanker was taken.  This latest  tanker is the largest ship so far to be seized by pirates, and at the time it was taken held about two million barrels of oil.  It was reported that the pirates had wanted $25 million for the oil tanker, but agreed on $3 million.  Although pirates were to leave the ship on receipt of ransom the International Maritime Bureau in London, a clearinghouse for piracy information and maritime safety issues, could not confirm if the pirates had actually freed the tanker or not.

Approximately 200 people went missing and were feared dead when a passenger ferry went down off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.  Reports had the ferry carrying 250 passengers and 17 crew members.  A fishing boat in the area rescued 18, among them the ship’s captain; all had been drifting on life rafts for hours.  According to reports by the captain at least 100 or more people jumped off the boat in panic before it sank, but he didn’t know what happened to them.  Additional rescuers were dispatched, but were experiencing trouble reaching the scene because of bad weather.

Prime ministers of Russia and the Ukraine agreed to end their gas dispute.  The agreement stated that prices would be pegged to the price of oil, but discounted for 2009, meaning the Ukraine would pay the same or sightly higher than the prior year.  The deal  was on the heel of sharp criticism from European officials of 20-plus countries cut off from natural gas whose citizens faced zero temperatures at the hands of Soviet economic gain. 

Beverly Hills Unified School District News:

DEBBIE ALLEN DANCE ACADEMY AT BHUSD

Beverly Hills Unified School District’s Board of Education approved a pilot program for the Debbie Allen Dance Academy to come to the School District through funding from the Beverly Hills Education Foundation. The program came out of conversation between BHEF CEO Devorah Hankin and Ms. Allen over her passion for bringing the arts to public education.  After an initial meeting with Board President Nooshin Meshkaty and Board Member Steven Fenton, and subsequent meetings with Meshkaty and Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator Dana Findley, the program has come to fruition.  

“This is a fabulous opportunity for our children.  Through our elementary school Summer Enrichment Program and Arts Academy, we provide funding for arts education to the District.  We have given substantially to instrumental music, choir, visual arts, theater and dance.  Artists in Residence are a substantial part of our goal and Debbie Allen’s talent and vision is invaluable to our children.  We hope to see this program grow so every child will have access.  This type of partnership between public schools and arts organizations serves as a national model for arts education,” Findley stated.” 

The pilot program provides 200 hours of instruction from Debbie Allen’s Dance Academy for grades K-12; 40 of these hours will be at Beverly Hills High. There is also 25 hours of live drummers for the African dance sessions.  Styles of dance being introduced will include Ballet, Hip-Hop, African, Flamenco, Jazz and Modern.  Ms. Allen also taught a two-hour master choreography and composition class to the Beverly Hills High School Dance Company in January. Debbie Allen and DADA Director Alla Khanlasvili attended the performance and got to see the talents of the dancers to assess where she thought she could add her immense expertise.  

This month, teachers from the Dance Academy began visiting 27 individual classrooms, for four visits each, grades K-5.  In March, they will go to PE programs in grades 5-8 and to the high school dance classes. Future plans include collaborating with Debbie Allen Dance Academy for the Summer Arts Academy, expanding the school year program to incorporate all students and a possible after school program.  Board Member Myra Lurie suggested a program for adult education as well.  

“Having BHUSD collaborate with the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, to offer a dance residency to some of our K-12 students, is a fantastic opportunity,” according to Dana Findley.  “We are so fortunate that our Board of Education and Administration is committed to arts education; and thankful that BHEF funds programs like this one.”

Debbie Allen Dance Academy

Debbie Allen is one of the most respected, relevant, and versatile talents in the entertainment industry.  An internationally recognized director, choreographer and author, Allen serves as Culture Connect Ambassador, representing U.S. visits to Brazil, China, Italy, and India to expand opportunities in arts education for the young people all over the world. Allen is a member of the prestigious ‘President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, a board member of the American Film Institute, and Executive Committee member of the UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film, and Television.

She has received three Emmy awards honoring her choreography, and two Emmys and one Golden Globe for her role as “Lydia Grant” in the hit series, Fame.  Allen has choreographed for Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Janet Jackson among many others, and choreographed the Academy Awards 10 times.  She produced the Steven Spielberg epic film Amistad, and directed the second highest rated original movie in Lifetime Channel history, Life is Not A Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story.  Allen has staged musicals for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. where she has been Artist in Residence for more than 10 years.  In 2001, Allen fulfilled a lifelong dream by opening the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Culver City, California, where she offers a comprehensive curriculum for more than 200 boys and girls, ages four to 18, in 12 performing arts disciplines.  Allen plays an active role in each student’s career by offering hands-on instruction and a world renowned faculty, presenting instructors from world famous institutions such as the Kirov Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. 

Dana Findley has worked at Beverly Hills Unified School District since 1996 and taught dance at Beverly Hills High School from 1996-2005 and served as the Assistant Principal from 2003-2005.  She currently works with the school district as the Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator.  She received her BFA in dance from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana; her MS in Education, with teaching and administrative credentials from National University; and her MFA in dance from California State University Long Beach where she was a part-time lecturer this past fall.  Ms. Findley has danced locally with Naomi Goldberg and Janet Roston, as well as performed with Princess Cruise  Lines.   She is currently dancing with Laurie Sefton’s Clairobscur Dance Company and Dorcas Román Dance Theatre (DRDT) while serving on the Board of Directors for DRDT.

U.S. NEWS: February 2009

Thousands of work boots, bath slippers, tennis sneakers, beach sandals and roller skates materialized on the Palmetto Expressway, in Florida disrupting traffic for hours.  Police did not know where the shoes came from as there was no sign of a crash, and no one claimed them.  A private contractor was hired to pick up the shoes and deposit them at an empty field, where a Nashville-based nonprofit group, Soles4Souls, picked them up and will distribute them around the world.

Five influential Democratic governors pleaded for up to $1 trillion in federal assistance over two years, to alleviate budget cuts, create jobs, and avoid inflicting irreversible damage to schools during the fiscal crisis.  The governors asked for $350 billion for infrastructure projects, $250 billion for education, $150 billion for middle-class tax cuts, and $250 billion for funding Medicaid, food stamps, and unemployment benefits.  The outline they said was not endorsed by the Obama administration.  It’s still in the air what the final price tag would be and what restrictions would be placed on the money.

Al Franken won the final ballot tally for the Minnesota state senate seat against Senator Norm Coleman. The long and dragged out decision was set to rest with election officials counting the 933 absentee ballots that both sides agreed were wrongly rejected.  Franken won 52 percent and Coleman captured 33 percent (the rest went to other candidates or cast no vote in the Senate race). 

The U.S. inaugurated its largest embassy, a fortress-like compound in the heart of the Green Zone, a sign U.S. officials say is a new chapter in relations between America and Iraq.  U.S. Marines raised the American flag over buildings that sit on a 104-acre site, with space for 1,000 employees, more than 10 times the size of any U.S. Embassy in the world.  ”Iraq is in a new era and so is the Iraqi-U.S. relationship,” Ambassador Ryan Crocker proclaimed.  Not in attendance was Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said to be traveling in Iran.  Explaining the embassy opening three years before the U.S. must withdraw all of its troops, Crocker said it is vital for the U.S. to remain involved in non-military ways.

New Mexico governor Bill Richardson’s exit from the Obama administration brought down the hammer on him being the leading Latino political figure in the nation.  Richardson slated to be Secretary of Commerce, cited a federal investigation into state business for with- drawing.  Great disappointment came from Latino advocates looking to his appointment to increase awareness on Latino issues.  The investigation involves Beverly Hills-based CDR Financial Products Inc., paid to issue road-construction bonds.  The FBI is investigating Richardson’s administrations role in influencing the CDR’s selection.

Pres. Obama braced Americans for possible “trillion-dollar deficits for years to come,” in a dark assessment of the U.S. financial outlook.  He said his administration would impose tight fiscal discipline on the government, citing what will be record deficits for years to come.  His stimulus package could total nearly $800 billion in new spending and tax cuts over two years.  He pledged to work with Congress on spending controls and efficiency measures.  “We’re not going to be able to expect American people to support this critical effort unless we take extraordinary steps to ensure that investments are made wisely and managed well,” Obama said.

The Pentagon won’t award the Purple Heart, a medal given to those wounded or killed by enemy action to war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder because it’s not a physical wound.  The decision drowned the hope of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who believed the honor could remove the negative stigma associated with the condition.  The disorder is thought to contribute to recurring nightmares, uncontrolled rage, severe depression and suicide. 

Supreme Court refuses cable companies to help customers copy shows, a decision that could have a major impact on video-on-demand as the video recording service would violate the Copyright Act.  Cable TV companies want to make copies for customers at their request.  Lawyers for TV networks/film studios say “copying” violates federal law.  The Copyright Act says that those who make and produce copyrighted material have “the exclusive rights” to profit from it.

The White House cat, an 18-year-old black American short hair, died stated the office of Laura Bush. Named India, the cat was the pet of daughters, Barbara and Jenna Bush, but when the daughters went off to college, the cat, remained with the president and first lady.

Presidents have pondered whether to move in-laws into the White House.  President Ulysses S. Grant’s father-in-law lived there as did Harry S. Truman’s mother-in-law, who historians reported stated that she knew “dozens of men better qualified” to preside over the Oval Office.  President Obama has confirmed that his 71-year-old mother-in-law will move in, possibly temporarily, to help with the children.  During his run for president, Obama’s mother-in-law retired from her bank position to care for the Obama girls.

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon indicted on stealing gift cards donated to the city for needy families and not reporting fur coats, trips and other luxuries paid by local developer, Ronald H. Lipscomb, a former boyfriend.  A three-year state investigation charged she used $2,000 in donated gift cards for Target and Best Buy to buy a digital camcorder, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and other devices for personal use, failing to disclose trips to New York and Chicago. 

A new civil rights bill provides women, blacks and Hispanics with new tools to challenge pay discrimination in the workplace.

A federal intelligence appeals court gave government the power to conduct electronic surveillance without warrants.  The ruling aids telecommunications companies sued for assisting the government’s eavesdropping.  Ruling from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, found an exception to Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches in national-security cases where eavesdropping is done to obtain foreign intelligence.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., ruled that evidence from an unlawful arrest and based on somewhat hapless police record keeping may be used against a criminal defendant.  But the 5-to-4 decision stressed that judges reviewing such evidence should make it last on the list and use it subjectively when deciding whether evidence  should be considered.  ”To trigger the exclusionary rule,” stated Chief Justice Roberts, ”police conduct must be sufficiently deliberate that exclusion can meaningfully deter it, and sufficiently culpable that such deterrence is worth the price paid by the justice system.” 

The current value of university endowments fell approximately 23 percent on the average in the five months ending on November 30, 2008, according to two newly released reports.

According to a Federal District Court judge and prior to White House employees leaving to make way for a new administration, they had their computers searched and had to give up devices containing thousands of e-mails that disappeared.  The messages, dated March 2003 to October 2005, are part of a litigation to protect communication of White House officials from the time frame that surrounds the war in Iraq and a federal inquiry into the leak of the identity of Valerie Wilson, the former C.I.A. officer.

California News: February 09

H&R Block Inc. to pay a $4.85 million; Attorney General of California sued Block in 2006, alleging the company used deceptive advertising to disguise refund-anticipation loans calling them early tax refunds and had unfair debt-collection practices in garnishing refund proceeds.  Settlement give $2.45 million in restitution to consumers taking loans between Jan. 1, 2001, and Dec. 31, 2008.  H&R Block denies wrongdoing.  Settlement limited to three years, with  $500,000 in penalties and $1.9 million in fees.

A bruising recession and stalemate in Sacramento have CA with a $42 billion budget shortfall.  The country’s biggest state won’t have cash to pay highway maintenance, fund schools and critical services. Residents expecting a state tax refund might get an IOU.  Thirty-seven other states also face budget shortfalls.

A man arrested at LA International Airport with a truck full of guns and nearly 1,000 rounds of ammunition said he is a law-abiding weapons enthusiast with no idea he broke the law, stating he will be exonerated. The Orange Country resident said he went to LAX to pick up a friend from Baltimore and that they intended to go target shooting at an outdoor range in San Bernardino County.

An Amtrak train carrying 400 passengers bound for San Diego struck and killed a woman walking inside a railroad tunnel by Chatsworth.  No train passengers were injured, but held on board for two hours pending completion of an investigation.  The woman was killed instantly.  She had been hiking and was walking with her husband and two sisters, who squeezed against the tunnel wall to avoid being hit.

CA’s ethics watchdog agency enacted rules prohibiting politicians, including the governor from using certain political accounts as slush funds to self-promote.   Funds raised by politicians for ballot-measures must be spent on specific propositions said the Fair Political Practices Commission.  Rules followed complaints that a governor-controlled committee called California Dream Team, spent $2.4 million last year to support a redistricting measure, and $2 million to cover expenses that some say benefited the governor and his other causes.

California law bans sale of toys and children’s products containing phthalates.  Goods cannot contain more than 0.1 percent of phthalates, a colorless, oily chemical used in thousands of consumer products to impart flexibility and durability.  The law authorized in 2007, sets the strictest standard nationwide for phthalates in consumer products.  In November, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a legal opinion that a federal ban on children’s products, which sets the same limits on phthalate levels as the state, applies to goods manufactured on or after Feb. 10, the date the federal law takes effect.

A man with a 2- to 3-foot-long sword was shot and killed by a Modesto policeman answering a call about a suspicious man carrying what appeared to be a sword or a large knife in front of the Doubletree Hotel in downtown Modesto.  The officer, was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.

University of California regents voted to trim freshman enrollment for next fall by 2,300 students (6%) as state funding worsens.  Six of UC’s nine undergraduate campuses will see significant cuts in enrollment. Irvine and UC San Diego are hit the hardest as their enrollment numbers are the highest.

CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger broke from tradition in his State of the State address vowing not to advance policy agenda this year other than to resolve the state’s fiscal crisis.  The governor said partisan beliefs rather than interests of Californians were at play in the stalemate.  The annual speech usually  lays out the governors list of accomplishments from the preceding year and their grand aspirations for the new one.   His remarks lasted less than 10 minutes.

A state panel urged legislators to change Jessica’s Law saying its restrictions on where sex offenders can live is a poor use of taxpayers’ money.  Residency restrictions, passed two years ago in Proposition 83, have not been shown to prevent new crimes and may reduce public safety, the panel says.  State corrections officials say that the number of homeless sex offenders on parole is 12 times larger now than it was when the law was originally passed.

CA highest court is the battleground in the debate over benefits for illegal immigrants and will hear arguments on the constitutionality of a state law allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and Universities.  The decision affects hundreds of illegal immigrant students attending community colleges, Cal State and UC campuses who say they can’t  afford higher education if required to pay out-of-state tuition.  At least nine other states, including Oklahoma, New York and Texas have similar laws providing reduced fees to illegal immigrants.  The CA court decision might not be legally binding in other states, but national politicians are looking at California for future legal challenges.

Church of Scientology critics accuse Riverside County of kowtowing to the religion and infringing on free speech by passing an ordinance limiting protest  outside the church complex.  Last year, demonstrators who believe Scientology is an abusive cult picketed Golden Era Productions, the church’s main center for the production and dissemination of videos and tapes.  The campus is home to 500 church employees who are often forced to wear masks out of fear.  They also encountered 56 bomb threats and 30 death threats last year.

Rebellious congregations who are parting with their original denominations could lose their church buildings and property, according to CA Supreme Court.  The recent case involved the Episcopal Church, but applies to other denominations such as the United Methodist and Presbyterian organizations, who also face upheaval over gay rights issues.  The ruling follows a decision by 700 conservative Episcopal congregations wanting to form a separate church in North America.

The East LA community sparked the Mexican American civil rights movement.  But  the community has never been an official  city.  So County officials announced they received enough signatures for the city process to formally begin.  Residents cast ballots in 2010 and are set to go door to door to raise $100,000 to pay for the study.

CA Governor’s administration plans to close many state offices on the first and third Friday of each month starting on Feb. 6, 2009 to save money on employee salaries.  The DMV is among the agencies affected; prisons, hospitals and veterans’ homes will not close, but will cut employee hours and issue furloughs so operations continue.  Spokes- man for Service Employees International Union Local 1000, Jim Zamora, said many agencies are already short-staffed and forcing employees to work overtime, citing the state unemployment insurance offices, where there aren’t enough people to answer phones.

Two City of Angels Medical Center, hospital executives are charged with  paying homeless people for having unnecessary medical treatment in a scheme to get millions of dollars from government health programs. Robert Bourseau and Dante Nicholson have been charged with the crime and are set to go to federal court in March. Among the charges are that the two men committed healthcare fraud by taking illegal kickbacks as part of a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medi-Cal according to assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Farhat. The homeless with Medicare or Medi-CAL cards were solicited from skid row.

LOCAL NEWS

HANDS ON THE WHEEL

January 1, 2009 it became illegal to text message while driving in California. 

Penalties For Texting While Driving. 
Similar to the cell phone law that went into effect July 1, 2008; the base fine for a first violation is $20; subsequent violations are $50. The total cost of the citation is significantly higher than the base fine, with the addition of local court costs and program fees. The penalty varies from county to county.

New Years Eve Murder in Bel Air
Police arrested Gilbert Llewelyn McDonald, 34, in the shooting death of a onetime local basketball star Felix L. Lang Jr., 28, at a New Year’s Eve party at a rented Coldwater Canyon mansion. The L.A. Valley College basketball star’s body was found on a curb across the street from the four-story stucco home on New Year’s Day. The shooting occurred near Harvard-Westlake School and St. Michael All Angels Episcopal Church. This is another incident involving party houses,mansions that host illegal, professionally catered and paid events. Sources say Lang, acting as a self-appointed bouncer got into an argument over a taco plate with McDonald, and was killed about 4 A.M. as the party came to a close. As themen started fighting the suspect produced a handgun, and the weapon discharged, but no one was hit at that time. Moments later, the suspect pointed the handgun at the victim and fired several rounds at close range. It was McDonald’s decision to fire the second time that prompted police to book him on suspicion of murder. It did not appear to be a case of self-defense, police stated. The home was rented by three men.

Car Racing On The Pomona Freeway
Two vehicles racing on the Pomona Freeway in East L.A. caused a fired up six-car pileup closing westbound lanes for an hour. The crash occurredwest of the Long Beach Freeway near Indiana Street and happened when one driver lost control of his vehicle, causing other cars to collide and burst into flames. Bystanders helped pull people from the flames, and one person was taken to the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, in critical condition.

Oldest Person On Earth
Gertrude Baizes of Los Angeles is the oldest person on earth—114-year-old. Previously holding the esteemed title was Maria de Jesus (115-year-old) from Portugal, who recently passed away.

Gaza Supporters Rally In Westwood
Supporters of both sides of the conflict in Gaza held a round of boisterous but, peaceful demonstrations in front of the Federal Building in Westwood. The groups were separated by dozens of police officers. At a pro-Palestinian rally that began early in the day, hundreds of demonstrators lined the curb on Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood waving flags and posters. Some read “End the Occupation. Start the peace.” Another proclaimed—“Gaza = Auschwitz.”

New Report Card System For L.A. Parents
Parents in L.A. will start receiving a one-page report card regarding their child’s school progress. The report provides a more accessible picture of their child’s school work. For high schoolers, the report card provides dropout figures, and shows how many students are proficient in English and math, and whether that number is going up or down. L.A. Unified has been collecting student information for about a decade.

Hooters Goes Back To Court
Hooters honchos are fired up at a lawsuit brought by whom they consider “a group of morons” claiming sexual discrimination. Restaurant higher-ups say they have a legal right to hire who they want to wait on customers. This isn’t the first battle for the restaurant known as much for good-looking female help as for its menu. Hooters said that it has fought this battle before and won and plans on doing the same this time. They say the suit is brought by a desire to make an easy cash settlement.

Great White Steamer Is Put To Rest
The small island town ofAvalon finally decided that it didn’t want the SS Catalina, which has for 50 years ferried more than 25million people to its shores. The Port of LosAngeles, and harbors in San Diego, Vancouver, Honolulu and the Port of Ensenada also agreed. So, Mexican demolition workers have put an end to the three-decade campaign to preserve the steamship by cutting the 302-foot vessel in pieces for scrap. The huge vessel owned by onetime Catalina Island landowner and chewing gum mogul William Wrigley, cost approximately $1 million to build and made daily trips between Wilmington and Avalon between the years of 1924 through 1975.

Open Gates To Celebrity Homes
A ruling for Beverly Park, an exclusive residential area in L.A. allows nannies, gardeners and those working in the area to enter and exit through the gates that lead to celebrity homes. The area has a North and South side, and those on the North prohibited workers on the South from using their gates. An L.A. County Superior Court judge ordered a peaceful union of North and South, but Northers plan to appeal.

BHSD Changes Enrollment Rules
Students who move out of the BH school district in high school can now stay on through 12th grade if the student was enrolled in BHUS District for four years, and attended at least one semester of high school. Students in seventh grade can finish through eighth, and students in K-5, can finish through fifth grade—as long as they have been enrolled in the BHUS District for four years. The decision will be up for a final vote which is set for a later date.

Lawn Ornaments & Drug Smugglers
Authorities busted a drug ring using concrete donkey statues to smuggle $1.5 million worth of marijuana into Los Angeles. Some 15 people were arrested in s scheme to bring 1,800 pounds of pot in 200 concrete burros. Police discovered the drugs in a shipping container at the Port of Long Beach. The ‘donkey’ shipment from Mexico was sent to a fictitious business in Fontana. Acting on a lead U.S. customs officials found the contraband and alerted approximately a dozen agencies of the Los Angeles Border Enforcement Security Task Force.

Bus Ride Rate Increase
Fare to ride a bus in Orange County increased from $1.25 to $1.50 as Orange County Transportation Authority officially charge higher rates for a second time in 18 years. The OCTA Board of Directors voted the increase in fares. Fuel costs for OCTAjumped 185%since 2005 as the organization faces a short fall of at least $18 million in annual bus operating budget. Increases were necessary because OCTA may fall behind in its “fare-box recovery,” a state requirement that the agency make at least 20 cents on every dollar spent on bus service to receive state funding.

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon In Jail
Dr. Jan Adams, the non-board certified plastic surgeon responsible for doing surgery on music star Kanye West’s mother the day before she died, received a one year jail sentence after rolling over to a charge that he drove drunk last year. Adams pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of DUI over an incident occurring in the Bay area last summer where he was cited driving on a freeway the wrong way and with a blood alcohol level of .20—more than twice the legal limit.

State Offices Take An Unpaid Day
Some 200,000 workers took their first unpaid day off as a result of CA’s fiscal crisis. Californians can’t take a driver’s test, appeal a rejected unemployment claim or conduct business at many state office buildings. Adding to the confusion of residents, some other state services and facilities will stay open as usual.

World News

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