Los Angeles County

Nov 22 2010

Irvine and Compton make list

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Compton was ranked as the nation's eighth most dangerous city, but three in Orange County—Mission Viejo, Lake Forest and Irvine—ranked in the top 10 safest cities, according to a report released today.

The latest edition of City Crime Rankings is one of five annual reference works published by CQ Press that analyze and rank states and cities in various categories.

Nov 16 2010

Ban includes grocery stores, pharmacies and other shops

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Single-use plastic bags will be banned at grocery stores, pharmacies and other shops in unincorporated Los Angeles County areas under an ordinance approved today by the Board of Supervisors.

The ban is aimed at reducing by 50 percent the number of plastic bags that wind up in landfills, as well as in river beds and other areas.

The ordinance, which will come back for a final vote when exact language is finalized, was approved on a 3-1 vote, with Supervisor Mike Antonovich dissenting.

Nov 9 2010

1-800-COMMUTE to become obsolete

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A Caltrans 800-line for transportation information in Los Angeles County will be replaced with a new number, (323) GO.METRO, it was announced today.

Caltrans, the state agency, decided to discontinue 1-800-COMMUTE for financial reasons, said Jose Ubaldo of Metro. The service was costing Caltrans $800,000 annually.

Metro will take over the service, handling an estimated 50,000 calls a week from riders seeking assistance with bus and rail trip planning, Ubaldo said.

Oct 28 2010

On the Nov. 2, ballot, registered California voters will have the opportunity to vote on Proposition 25; which is constitutional amendment that aims to make two major changes to the state budget process.

Prop. 25 intends to modify the State Legislature’s requirement to pass the annual state budget and budget-related legislation. Instead of relying on the current two-thirds majority vote (67 percent), the proposition will implement a simple majority vote (51 percent) to pass the budget and similar spending bills. It also proposes permanently withholding all financial compensation and expense reimbursement to Legislature members for every day they do not pass the budget by the June 15 deadline.

Oct 22 2010

August and September

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Los Angeles County held steady at 12.6 percent between August and September, the state Economic Development Department reported today.

The 12.6 percent unemployment rate was above the 12.2 percent rate in September 2009, according to the EDD.

In Orange County, where seasonally adjusted numbers were not available, the unemployment rate was 9.6 percent, the same rate as August.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.