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MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2015 - JANUARY 18, 2015

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Congested 57 Freeway Gets Some Much-Needed Help by Vickie Vértiz Over a small three-mile stretch of the 57 Freeway heading north that leads to the 91 Freeway in Anaheim, the Orange County Register reports that more than 150,000 people drive over it every day. To most local drivers, that part of the 57 freeway is known as one of the most congested parts of the freeway, said the paper. Luckily for commuters, Caltrans and the Orange County Transportation Authority held a news conference recently and unveiled a proposed $41 million project to help alleviate, and once and for all, solve the congestion. "It [is] important to get people where they want to be in a safe and timely manner, and most important, it gets people home to their families," Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait told the paper. Among the plans is adding a lane to the 57 Freeway heading northbound from Katella to Lincoln avenues. The planned changes also include an HOV,

VOLUME 2, NO. 2

Nine Hotels Opening in Resort District Hotel Inventory to Add More Than 1,500 Rooms By Jay Burress

analyze DNA samples from criminals, while protecting our constitutional rights. “The Buza decision could cripple law enforcement, preventing them from using DNA to solve crimes and get violent criminals off the streets,” explained Gatto. “It’s time to overhaul the

Anaheim Resort District hotel development is moving at a vigorous pace with nine brand new hotels being added in 2014 -2015. The new additions will offer Anaheim area convention and leisure travelers more options, such as the return of the Hyatt brand to Anaheim and a portfolio of new and engaging familyfriendly hotels. Collectively, these properties will bring more than 1,500 guest rooms and suites to the Anaheim Resort area. “Nearly $200 million dollars is currently being invested by major hotel brands into Anaheim Resort District in hotel development and renovations. This is a testament to our appeal in the marketplace,” said Jay Burress, president and CEO, Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau. “Anaheim continues to evolve as a distinctive and inviting location and our latest hotel development will help keep our destination fresh and competitive in the leisure and convention market.” Three Anaheim Hotels Added in 2014: The Hyatt Place Anaheim Resort (178 guest rooms), and two (2)

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- Photo by David Lofink

or carpool lane, a continuous lane along with the rebuilding of eight freeway ramps. "There [is] more capacity to get on and off the freeway, particularly off the freeway, so therefore letting traffic move freer in the mainline of the

freeway," said Darrell Johnson, CEO of the Orange County Transportation Authority at the press conference. Improving the road is very important for a region some Please see page 3

Bill to Create New DNA Testing Regime to Solve Crimes Introduced In December, a Court of Appeal struck down California’s criminal-DNA-testing program contained in Proposition 69. In People v. Buza, the court found several aspects of California's DNA-testing practices unconstitutional, dealing a huge setback to law enforcement’s ability to solve crimes. For CSI-like crime solving to resume in California, policymak-

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ers must now come up with a constitutional framework that addresses the court’s concerns. Assemblyman Mike Gatto, a former constitutional lawyer, today introduced AB 84, which would allow DNA testing to resume in the state. The legislation would bring forensic investigation into the 21st century and create new tools for law enforcement to collect and

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Bill to Create New DNA Testing to Solve Crimes Introduced Continued from page 1

system to make sure that best practices are implemented, the constitution is respected, the innocent are exonerated, and the guilty are brought to justice.” The legislation comes as courts across the country are grappling with the issue of DNA testing, including the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld a Maryland testing program that allows for DNA to be collected from those charged with specific and very serious felonies. However, that decision, Maryland v. King,was no help in the Buza decision, which struck down Prop. 69 under the California Constitution only. Gatto’s legislation seeks to address the court’s concerns by expressly allowing DNA to be collected from people convicted of a felony or those convicted of a serious or violent misdemeanor. It would allow for DNA to be collected from individuals arrested and charged (but not yet convicted) with serious felonies upon court process and a finding of probable cause. To protect people wrongfully accused, arrested, charged, or convicted, the DNA sample would be required to be com-

pletely expunged if the case is dismissed or the accused is acquitted or otherwise exonerated. The legislation also expands upon a pre-existing testing program that allows a person who is arrested for a non-violent minor crime, such as shoplifting, to have their charges dropped in exchange for paying a small fine and agreeing to a DNA swab to check against prior violent crimes, and to keep on hand for the future. “The people of California have made it clear that while they are sympathetic to persons who spend years in jail for minor crimes, they remain sickened by violent criminals who escape justice and reoffend,” said Gatto. “AB 84 is a balanced approach that will improve our state’s DNA-testing program.” Mike Gatto is the longestserving current member of the California State Assembly. He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Franklin Hills, Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake. www.asm.ca.gov/gatto.

Plastic Bag Manufacturers Buy Time as Bag Ban is on Hold By Courtney Alexander On September 30 of this year, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 270, banning grocery and convenience stores from selling single-use plastic bags, but allowing the sale of more environmentally inoffensive, reusable bags made by certified third party manufacturers. These bags, which have to meet standards for labeling, durability, material makeup, and heavy metal content, can be sold for no less than $0.10 each. Even though about six out of every ten California voters supports the bill, according to a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll, there are still those who oppose its passing. This opposition naturally comes most strongly from plastic bag manufacturers who claim the new law is just a way for grocers and union bosses to stuff their pockets. They also raise the issue that the enactment of the new law will cost plastic workers their jobs. “SB 270 was never a bill about the environment. It was a back room deal between the grocers and union bosses to scam California consumers out of billions of dollars in bag fees without providing any public benefit. We are pleased to have reached this important milestone in the effort to repeal a terrible piece of job-killing legislation,” said the head of the American Progressive Bag Alliance, Lee Califf in a statement. Soon after the announcement was made that Governor Brown had signed the bill, the American Progressive Bag Alliance fervently began collecting signatures in an effort to overturn the state’s decision – so far, over they accumulated

800,000. In order for their referendum to be on the November 2016 ballot, the Alliance had a 90 day window to gather 504,760 signatures by January 1, 2015. That number has been far surpassed. And it’s not just California bag makers who are against the bill. Only $50,000 of the $1.2 million put into the campaign is from plastic bag manufacturers in California. Most of the funding comes from companies headquartered outside of California. As California has become the first state to sign a statewide ban, manufacturers are also fearful that other states will follow suit. The bag ban, planned to go into effect on July 1, 2015 is now on hold until November 2016 when voters will, again, cast their votes for or against the bag ban. If a referendum has gathered the necessary number of signatures in the allotted amount of time, the law that referendum seeks to invalidate cannot be enacted until voters have their say again. Even if the referendum fails, this newfound time before the law goes into effect gives plastic bag manufacturers the opportunity to sell an estimated $145 million worth of bags according to calculations made by the pro-ban group, Californians Against Waste. “We’re not doing this so we can sell bags for another 16 months,” said Mark Daniels, chairman of the American Plastic Bag Alliance. “When consumers understand that this is a cash grab by the grocers, they oppose this horrible legislation.”, he said, citing internal Alliance polling, showing that voters opinions shift Please see page 4

JANUARY 12, 2015 - JANUARY 18, 2015 | 3

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Gov. Brown Swears in New Justices

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Following his inauguration, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. swore in Justices Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar and Leondra R. Kruger to the California Supreme Court today in Sacramento. “What I’m looking for is insight and growing wisdom over time so we can create a measure of harmony in what is a very conflicted society,” said Governor Brown at today’s ceremony. “And I think we are going to do very well in helping build the respect for the law, for the courts, for their independence, so that all of us – whatever our particular ideological or philosophical proclivities – at the end of the day are very thankful that we have honest, intelligent and fair-minded people making sense out of the complexities.” Governor Brown nominated Justice Cuéllar in July and Justice Kruger in November to the California Supreme Court. Justice Cuéllar was confirmed in August and Justice Kruger last month by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, composed of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and senior presiding justice of the state Court of Appeal Joan Dempsey Klein.

57 Freeway Continued from page 1

people think of the center of Orange County. In the middle of the construction will be the Honda Center, which will likely benefit greatly from the changes to the freeway, added the paper. The Orange Freeway has been in use for more than 50 years and is clearly linked to the economic growth. "My hope is that in years to come is that it's going to allow us, specifically, to get our fans in a lot quicker and out a lot quicker," said Tim Ryan, president of the Honda Center to the paper. The majority of the proj-

ect is funded by Measure M, a voter-approved sales tax for transportation improvements. No two consecutive on or offramps will be closed at the same time, according to the Orange County Transit Authority website. The paper spoke with one driver who said the changes are starting to easing traffic, but thinks more can be done. "I think it [will] help, but it [is] probably not enough to really offset the volume that we get," said John Morelli of Irvine. For more information, visit the Orange County Transit Authority website: www.octa.net.

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Nine New Hotels Opening Continued from page 1

SpringHill Suites by Marriott tels are in the midst of substan(172 guest rooms and 120 guest tial renovations. Three major rooms, respectively) projects include: the Hilton Five Anaheim Hotels to Anaheim, Anaheim Marriott, Open in 2015: The Hyatt House and Sheraton Park Hotel. The Anaheim Resort (252 guest three hotel properties borrooms), Residence Inn (274 der the Anaheim Convention guest rooms), Homewood Suites Center’s expansive outdoor by Hilton - AnaG r a n d heim ConvenPlaza and tion Center/Diseach have “Anaheim continues neyland® Main recently Gate (215 guest embarked to evolve as a rooms), Holiday on a colInn Express (96 lective $53 distinctive and guest rooms), million Courtyard Wahotel reninviting location.” terpark Hotel At ovation Disneyland (222 investguest rooms). ment, with The Wincome Group, expected completion in early owners of three other hotel 2015. properties in Anaheim and OrThere are currently 20,000 ange County (Anabella Hotel, hotel guest rooms in the AnaCarousel Inn in Anaheim and heim Resort District. With the Avenue of the Arts Wyndam new hotel development that Hotel in Costa Mesa) recently number will increase to a total purchased the 300-guest room inventory of more than 21,500 Anaheim Plaza Hotel. This guest rooms by 2015. major acquisition is situated on The added hotel inventory Harbor Blvd. in Anaheim, di- will better serve the increased rectly across from Disneyland's demand for hotel room nights front entrance. The expansive in the Anaheim/Orange Counhotel property sits on eight ty area. According to a recent acres of land in a very high CIC Research report, hotel octraffic tourism area. Construc- cupancy (through September tion and redevelopment details 2014) rate increased 5.1 perare not yet set. cent, while the volume of hotel In addition to all the new room nights sold increased 6.5 hotel development, many percent for the month comAnaheim Resort District ho- pared to the prior year.

99 Cents Only Stores Settle Hazardous Waste Disposal Violations City Attorney Mike Feuer, together with 29 California District and City Attorneys, announced Tuesday that San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Bob McNatt has approved a settlement with Los Angeles-based 99 Cents Only Stores LLC, that includes over two million dollars in civil penalties and costs, supplemental environmental projects, and enhanced environmental compliance efforts. "This judgment protects the environment and public health," said Los Angeles City Attorney City Attorney Mike Feuer. "And it demonstrates the strong commitment of prosecutors and environmental agencies throughout California to enforce our hazardous waste laws." Under the settlement, which includes a Final Judgment and Permanent Injunction against 99 Cents Only Stores, the corporation must pay $1.8 million in civil penalties, $312,500 in costs and $250,000 in supplemental environmental projects. Under the terms of the settlement, 99 Cents Only Stores also must implement certain enhanced compliance efforts. This Judgment is the culmination of a civil enforcement investigation into 99 Cents Only

Stores’ improper storage, handling, and disposal of hazardous and pharmaceutical waste products into company trash bins at each of the 251 stores and distribution centers in California. Instead of being sent to authorized disposal sites, hazardous waste as well as other contaminated materials were allegedly being unlawfully transported to area landfills. Upon being notified by prosecutors of the widespread issues, 99 Cents Only Stores worked cooperatively to remedy the issue and train its employees to properly handle hazardous wastes being generated through damage, spills and returns. The hazardous waste is now being collected by state-registered haulers, taken to proper disposal facilities and properly documented and accounted for. As a result of the prosecution and settlement, California 99 Cents Only Stores have also adopted new policies and procedures designed to eliminate the disposal of retail hazardous waste products and pharmaceutical waste into store trash bins for eventual disposal into local landfills, not equipped to handle such wastes. Deputy City Attorney Jessica Brown prosecuted the case for the Los Angeles City attorney’s Office.

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after they are told that grocers will make millions from paper bag sales. Regardless of the outcome of this legislative slugfest, the call for bans on single use plastic bags will continue. Environmentalists are continuing to push for bans at the local level, adding to the over 100 California municipalities with bans on

plastic bag sales. According to Molly Peterson, a correspondent with Southern California Public Radio, pro-ban environmental groups will continue to strive to add to the “130 municipalities, counties, and local entities that have enacted some sort of a ban.” The battle over plastic bag sales will seemingly be over no time soon.