SEE PAGE 4 FOR: “KILL-SWITCHES” NOW MANDATORY
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2014 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2014
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Drones over Disney (and Anaheim) BY VICKIE VÉRTIZ In a move that has some people scratching their heads and others applauding, the Walt Disney Company filed for three dronerelated patents that the corporation says could herald in “an era of aerial movie screens and largerthan-life puppets flying through the sky,” according to Reuters. Disney Enterprises Incorporated is the subsidiary that submitted the patent applications. The application text suggested that Disney would create air shows powered by drones that are a safer alternative to fireworks shows and more consistent than large-scale light shows. Drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, have been used by the United States military for several years to kill enemies abroad and for surveillance. Drones are also used domestically by civilian law enforcement agencies when dealing with the public during protests or pursuits, for instance. Since drones came on the market, the media and private companies also use drones to capture aerial images that other aircraft could not film. However, drone usage and strikes are controversial because they can just as easily hit civilians and have killed Americans overseas. Drone usage for purposes oth-
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BY JENNIFER SCHLUETER Fresno. The case was introduced in 2011 by two individual gun owners and two gun owner rights groups, the Calguns Foundation and the Second Amendment Foundation, who disagreed with the waiting period. According to the San Francisco Gate (SF Gate), “the two individual plaintiffs in the case,
2.4 MW roof-mounted solar PV system at the Convention Center completed
had decided not to make the purchase because of the time and expense needed for a second trip to a gun shop.” Last Monday, Ishii declared the waiting period unreasonable because people who rightfully purchased a gun had already passed criminal
joins a list of other companies pushing the federal government to allow commercial use of the small,
Ten day waiting period for guns ruled unconstitutional First-time gun purchasers in California not only have to go through a detailed background check, but also wait ten days to hold their new gun in their hands. In Silvester v. Harris, such a ten day waiting period for already-judged competent gun owners was ruled unconstitutional by U.S. District Judge Anthony Ishii of
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The City of Anaheim announced the completion of a 2.4-megawatt (MW) solar panel system on the Anaheim Convention Center. The $5.7 million project managed by Anaheim Public Utilities was completed by Borrego Solar Systems Inc., a leading designer, developer, installer and financier of grid tied solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The installation covers 300,000 square feet on the rooftop of Exhibit Halls A, B and C. With 7,908 installed solar panels, the installation will be the largest city-owned, convention center, roof-mounted system in North America. The system will generate an estimated 3.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually — enough energy to power 600 homes for a year. Anaheim Public Utilities is incorporating the project into its renewable energy portfolio. The installation marks the building’s newest sustainability feature; the LEED certified Convention Center maintains a commitment to sustainability through initiatives such as an on-site recycling program, farm to fork culinary program, an on-site composting facility and a rooftop herb garden. “The City of Anaheim has always sought to take the lead with projects that demonstrate government entrepreneurship and this partnership reflects the
-Photo by Fernando Lara
er than surveillance or air strikes is becoming more popular and harder to regulate by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). With their applications, Disney
SEE PAGE 3 FOR SCHIFF DEMANDS BODY-WORN CAMERAS FOR OFFICERS
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Guidance on unaccompanied immigrant children issued to CA schools Setting aside $3.5 million in federal funding to assist schools that see an increase in unaccompanied immigrant children this school year, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson last week advised school districts of their obligation to serve every child in California regardless of where they come from or where they were born. “We don’t make immigration policy in our classrooms; we help every child who comes through our doors,” Torlakson said. “With our help and support, I am confident that California’s schools will be able to provide a safe haven for children waiting for authorities to reunite them with their families.” Torlakson said the $3.5 million represents federal Title III funds to help school districts that may have experienced a significant increase in immigrant students. The funds may be used for improving instruction, providing tutoring and intensified instruction, and conducting community participation programs. School districts are eligible when data demonstrate a growth of 3 percent in the qualifying student population as compared to the average of the two previous years. To receive funding, school
districts submit a plan for a quality supplemental program to help these children, and then apply for the Title III Immigrant funding. However, this funding does not distinguish between those students who enter the United States accompanied or unaccompanied. CDE receives and distributes funds from several federal programs to supplement existing programs designed to assist immigrant children, whether they enter the United States accompanied or unaccompanied. These services include: •Services for educationally disadvantaged children (Title I, Part A); •Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); •English language acquisition programs (Title III); •McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; and •Migrant education programs (Title I, Part C). Other assistance is available directly from the federal government. The United States Department of Education outlined assistance to help schools welcome immigrant children through its fact sheet on Educational Services for Immigrant Children and Those Recently Arrived to the United States.
No 10 day waiting period for guns Continued from page 1
and mental health state background check, and thus would not pose a safety concern. Opponents of the ruling, such as Attorney Lindsay Nichols of the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a San Francisco gun-control organization, told the SF Gate that she found Ishii’s decision “disturbing” because the waiting period serves as an important “cooling-off” period for people who intend to buy the guns out of an an emotional act such as suicide, or out of anger. Ishii disagreed with Nichols point: “For those who already own a firearm and are known to be trustworthy due to the licenses that they hold and a history of responsible gun ownership, there is no justification for imposing the full 10-day waiting period,” he wrote. Miko Tempski, general counsel for the Second Amendment Foundation, agrees and told the Washington Post: “Basically, the waiting period doesn’t make any sense when someone has already been cleared, has a concealedcarry permit and already owns a gun.”
The judge wrote: “The Second Amendment applies to ‘arms’ and its language does not limit its full protections to a single firearm. Some firearms are better suited for particular lawful purposes than others. Defendant has cited no authority that suggests that the Second Amendment only has application to a single firearm.” Brandon Combs, executive director of the Calguns Foundation, agrees calling Ishii’s decision “an important step toward restoring fundamental individual liberties in the Golden State.” The possibility of an appeal to the NinthU.S. Circuit Court of Appeals exists, because Ishii delayed his 56-page ruling’s effective date for 180 days. This time period would also allow the Legislature to rewrite existing laws. California is one among 10 other states imposing a waiting period on gun purchasers. Furthermore, the state bans models that are legal in other state’s and requires “micro-stamping” in new semiautomatic handgun chambers in order to identify cartridges at crime scenes.
Solar system installed Continued from page 1
success of this effort,” said Tom Morton, Executive Director of the City of Anaheim’s Convention, Sports & Entertainment Department. “We appreciate the partnership with our Public Utilities and welcomed this opportunity, which benefits not only our residents, but further enhances the Convention Center’s sustainability program.” “Installing solar on the Convention Center furthers the City’s commitment to renewable energy initiatives,” said Dukku Lee, General Manager of Anaheim Public Utilities. “The City was able to add a cost-effective renewable resource that utilizes the abundant sunlight we are fortunate to have in this region.”
Borrego Solar, the designer and installer of the project, began construction in January. In total, the company has installed 60 MW of solar in California, (more than 100 MW nationwide) and has another 90 MW in construction. “Throughout the contract and construction process, we witnessed firsthand the commitment and enthusiasm of the City, utility and Convention Center leaders to ensure the success and quick development of this project,” said Mike Hall, CEO at Borrego Solar. “It’s communities like Anaheim that will enable California to meet its renewable energy mandates and continue leading the way on clean energy deployment.”
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Rep. Schiff urges Department of Justice to fund body-worn cameras for local police departments Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) announced that he is circulating a letter to his colleagues which will be sent to Attorney General Eric Holder urging the Department of Justice to help fund local police departments’ purchase of small body-worn cameras in order to increase transparency, decrease tensions between police and community members, and create a record of events. Schiff, who is a member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee and former Assistant U.S. Attorney, stated: “As the investigation into the death of Michael Brown illustrates, the circumstances of an officer-involved shooting can arouse the strongest passions in a community and breed an atmosphere of profound distrust. Having a video record of events not only deters the use of excessive force, but it also helps dispute or demonstrate claims of police brutality – in either case it improves community confidence in a just result. Studies done in localities that have implemented body-worn cameras have shown a positive impact by demonstrating a commitment to transparency and accountability and helping to deescalate potentially tense interactions. “Given the Department of Justice’s crucial role in helping state and local law enforcement adopt best practices, I believe it’s time to expand our support to include assistance to law enforcement agencies that would like to adopt body-worn camera technology for their police officers. The Department of Justice can use existing funding streams, or work with Congress to create a new pool of resources for local governments to help implement body-worn cameras for police officers throughout the country.” From the letter: “Police
departments around the country have begun adopting small body-worn cameras for police officers on patrol. These cameras provide a visual and audio record of interactions with the public, so that in the event of a confrontation or policeinvolved shooting, such as the one that occurred in Ferguson, there is an inalterable record of the events. There are also indications that the presence of body cameras has a civilizing effect on both police officers and the public, resulting in lower incidences of excessive force complaints and deescalating tense situations before they
become violent. Perhaps most importantly, cameras can instill greater trust in police departments on the part of the public they are sworn to protect. In communities with frayed police-community relations, cameras demonstrate a commitment on the part of the local police department to transparency and accountability, while protecting officers from false or frivolous complaints. For all these reasons, the adoption of body cameras has been well received in the jurisdictions that have begun to use them, both by the public and the officers wearing the cameras.”
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Ten second warning of 23rd annual Transportation Fair Napa earthquake makes to support local nonprofits Supporting local nonprofit The Transportation Fair will the case for full west coast organizations is fun – and tasty – continue with a Book Fair Oct. 8-9 here in Anaheim. from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the early warning system Anaheim will celebrate Cali- first floor lobby at Anaheim City Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) released the following statement after the U.C. Berkeley Seismological Lab provided residents in Oakland and San Francisco with a ten second warning before the Napa Valley earthquake shook their homes, businesses and infrastructure: "Today's successful use of the early earthquake warning system shows that a full West Coast system would be successful in giving residents, businesses and critical infrastructure an important warning of a large magnitude earthquake. While this was not the 'big one,' we need to be prepared to save lives and protect vital infrastructure -- even a few seconds of warning will allow people to seek cover, automatically slow or stop
trains, pause surgeries and more." Earlier this year, Rep. Schiff through the Appropriations Committee included $5 million in funding in the Fiscal Year 2015 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill for the Earthquake Early Warning System, the first time Congress has ever provided funding specifically for the system. Schiff also led a group of 25 Members from California, Washington and Oregon in organizing a request that the committee fund an early earthquake warning system. A limited system developed by Caltech, UC-Berkeley and University of Washington, in conjunction with the United State Geological Survey (USGS), has already been deployed and has proven that the early warning technology is sound.
Update: “Kill-switches” for cell phones now mandatory BY JENNIFER SCHLUETER Last Monday, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill into law which requires cellphone producers to install a “kill-switch” into phones manufactured after July 1, 2015, and sold in California. These “killswitches” will make smartphones
inoperable should they fall into the wrong hands. Rightful owners would be able to lock their phones with antitheft software. The bill was introduced by State Senator Mark Leno as a result of constantly rising cellphone thefts.
fornia Rideshare Week, October 6-10, by hosting the City’s 23rd annual Transportation Fair, which includes a Chili Cook-Off and a Book Fair. Proceeds from the Chili Cook-Off and Book Fair will benefit local charities. This year’s Transportation Fair theme is Ridesharing Goes on Vacation. The Chili Cook-Off will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 17 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at downtown Anaheim’s Center Street Promenade. Fifteen chili booths and 25 community exhibitors will participate this year, with colorful booths, music, raffle prizes, and more. Each $1 ticket is good for two chili tastings.
Hall, located at 200 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92805. All proceeds from the Transportation Fair, including the Chili Cook-Off and Book Fair, will go to the Anaheim Community Foundation/Oak Canyon Nature Center, the Anaheim Library Foundation/Books to Read for Kids in Need, and the American Lung Association/SCAMP Camp. The Transportation Fair is sponsored by the City of Anaheim, Public Works Transportation Center. For additional information on the 23rd Annual Transportation Fair, please call the City of Anaheim Transportation Center at 714-765-Kars (x5277).
Drones over Disney? Continued from page 1
unmanned vehicles. The FAA has still not solidified rules for commercial usage of drones for everything from TV news coverage to package delivery to crop monitoring, reported Reuters. The Disney patent applications detail that drones would be used to make their aerial shows come alive with floating pixels, floating projection screens, and allow characters from storybooks and films who can fly to actually be sky bound. “This is a significant improvement over prior flying characters, which typically were provided in the form of parade or other blimps/balloons filled with hot air or other gases and that had little and/or awkward articulation of any movable parts,” the company also stated in its patent applications. A writer for Forbes magazine applauded the patent applications because of their previously unimagined use for drone technology. The Disney drones would be pre-programmed and controlled from the ground, to give synchronized performances. Coordination
would also prevent possible collisions in the event of wind gusts, said Disney. However, even if the patent is approved in the near future, Disney would not be allowed by the FAA to fly the machines. The FAA finds the commercial use of drones unlawful, with limited exceptions, until the agency creates new regulations. Some in the aerospace industry believe the FAA will issue regulations that privilege drones previously used by the military or produced by major aerospace companies, Forbes reported. It is unclear if Disney drones would be the same as those used in law enforcement, military, or for agricultural use. But as Anaheim residents know, Santa Ana winds would be a sure bet obstacle for drones, but one would hope engineers already thought of that. While drones are largely used by the government to control the actions of various populations, an innovation on a weapon to carry out the illusion of magic is a much better way to use them than for destruction of any kind.