SEE PAGE 3 FOR california students are becoming more fit
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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2014 - NOVEMBER 16, 2014
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Midterm elections: Gov. Brown stays in office for 4th record term, Prop 47 passes by jennifer schlueter Last Tuesday, Republicans celebrated their victories across the nation, which gave them control over the state Senate. In California, they were able to deny the Democrats “a two-thirds legislative supermajority that would consign GOP lawmakers to virtual irrelevance in the state Capitol,” according to the Los Angeles Times. Historically, the win of the Republicans over the Senate should not come as a surprise, because for the last three decades, every two-term president’s party lost their majority during midterm elections of the president’s sixth year (Reagan, Bush, Clinton). Despite the Republican’s nationwide wins, California stayed mostly blue. Democratic Governor Jerry Brown defeated his opponent Neel Kashkari with almost 59% to 41%. Brown, who had served as California’s governor already from 1975 to 1983, now enters his record 4th term, which will also be his final one. The LA Times calls him a “both an expert technician, tweaking government to be more efficient and effective, and a big thinker, transforming the state’s infrastructure and combating climate change.” He is determined to push forward the $68 billion bullet train from Los Angeles to San Fran-
Governor Brown was elected to serve his 4th term- Photo by Terry Miller
cisco, and fight climate change by exploring more renewable energy sources for California, but, he also wants to save the state’s money. “It is a balance between holding my foot on the brake while pushing my other foot on the accelerator. It’s definitely paradoxical,”
the LA Times quotes him. As expected, both of Brown’s Propositions passed with a more than 2 to 1 lead, because Republican and Democratic legislators drafted them together with Please see page 4
$20 million wrongful death lawsuit filed against Anaheim police by Vickie Vértiz The family of Bernie Cervantes Villegas, who was shot to death by Anaheim police in January 2012, had filed a $20 million wrongful death lawsuit, according to court documents, as reported by the Orange County Weekly. This past week, the lawyer
representing the family said that the city of Anaheim declined to enter mediation for the case, which was previously dismissed by a federal judge. This prompted the family of the deceased to appeal the case, according to the Orange County Register.
Anaheim spokeswoman Ruth Ruiz declined to comment because the case is pending litigation. The OC Weekly had reported that, the civil complaint filed in Please see page 2
SEE PAGE 2 for chinese exersice benefits breast cancer survivors VOLUME 1, NO. 28
“Quilts” opens at Muzeo November 15 Unfold the stories of more than 35 historic and contemporary quilts from across the country in Quilts, opening November 15at MUZEO Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim. Twenty-six quilts provided by the International Quilt Study Center & Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Traditional showcase designs made at a time in history—the years between the Civil War and World War II—when America was coming to terms with what it meant to be a modern nation. Complemented by a variety of innovative art quilts from contemporary fiber artists throughout California, Quilts offers a valuable visual and tactile understanding of American culture and society bridging the transition from traditional folk culture to the age of mass production and consumption. Participating California art quilters include Linda Anderson, Cindy Cooksey, Joe Cunningham, Jamie Fingal, Sheila Frampton-Cooper, Sherry Davis Kleinman, Kerby C. Smith, Lura Schwarz Smith, and Terry Waldron. General admission tickets to Quilts are now available, please visit www.muzeo.org to purchase tickets and for information on special events including workshops, group tours, docent tours and other community activities. MUZEO, which means “museum” in the international language of Esperanto, is a museum and urban cultural center with a focus on world-class traveling exhibitions and creative programming. MUZEO complex features a state-of the art gallery space that includes Anaheim’s original Carnegie Library, built in 1908. Please visit www.muzeo.org for more info.
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Anaheim Fire & Rescue launches new home safety visit Every year, thousands of people are injured or die as a result of home fires in the United States; most of whom are in homes without a working smoke alarm. Statistics have proven that homes with older adults or young children are more likely to be affected by this devastating experience. To help prevent our residents from suffering from this type of disaster and to ensure that everyone, including our firefighters remain safe, Anaheim Fire & Rescue has launched a new community risk reduction initiative – the Home Safety Visit Program. Anaheim residents who are eligible include those who live in and own their home; incomequalified families; older adults
over the age of 65; families with children under the age of 14 and people with disabilities. Residents can visit the department’s website www.anaheim.net/homesafety to request a visit. During a visit, fire personnel will share information to increase awareness and knowledge about home safety and demonstrate how to test and maintain your smoke alarms. While smoke alarms should be tested monthly, they should be replaced every ten years. If needed, fire personnel will replace smoke alarms with new smoke alarms with 10 year batteries. Home assessment and escape planning tools will also be available. Funding for the 1,000 smoke alarms was made available by a Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Fire Prevention & Safety grant so there is no cost to the Anaheim resident. “I hope this campaign encourages everyone to regularly practice fire safety. This effort will not only increase the protection of our residents and their families but will ultimately enhance the safety for our firefighters by reducing the number of working fire incidents that they are called upon to respond to,” said Fire Chief Randy R. Bruegman. According to the National Fire Protection Association, the risk of dying in a fire is reduced by 82 percent when both smoke alarms and fire sprinklers are present in a home. “The first minutes of a house fire are critical; a
working smoke alarm and practiced fire safety plans can give you and your family the time to exit safely,” said Fire Marshal Jeff G. Lutz. “Daylight Savings Times ends this weekend; it is a perfect opportunity to check the age of your smoke alarm and change the battery.” The Home Safety Visit Program is another initiative of the Department’s Community Risk Reduction Plan focused on single family homes which was adopted as part of Anaheim Fire & Rescue’s Strategic Plan. Visit the Department’s website at www.anaheim.net/fire to learn about the Department’s vision and their 11 recommendations to continue excellent delivery of fire and emergency services in Anaheim.
$20 million wrongful death lawsuit filed against Anaheim police Continued from page 1
Orange County Superior Court stated that five Anaheim SWAT officers took Villegas down in a negligent manner and without provocation on January 7, 2012 outside of an apartment complex. The suit also alleges negligent hiring and deprivation of civil rights, said the Register. The paper detailed the police account where Villegas, 36-year-old father of two, was carrying a BB rifle with a wooden stock through the West Ball Road apartment complex late
on a Saturday night. The action prompted several calls to police from worried residents. While it was reported by the Register that the father of Villegas allegedly told the Associated Press back then that his son had “made a huge mistake that night,” the lawsuit blames the SWAT team for shooting first and asking questions later, given that they swung around a corner and without warning, opened fire on the man standing in a parking lot talking with friends. The suit also
states that Villegas was not threatening the officers who did not make themselves known before firing, said the Register. The official police report paints a completely different picture. That report states that Villegas “waved or pointed” what appeared to be a shotgun at the officers, signaling a threat to the SWAT officers, said the Register. Furthermore, the family lawsuit denies that report as “a blatantly false story,” the lawsuit stated. It further clarifies that the BB gun was a present for his 12-year-old son and that Villegas was showing it off to friends, with the barrel pointed to the sky and not at officers, said the paper. Villegas is also a father to a 14-year-old daughter who was not named in the suit or the articles. Villegas was shot by a nowfamous officer, Nick Bennallack, who six months later, shot and killed an unarmed man, Manuel Diaz, which caused civil unrest in Anaheim and garnered national media attention. District Attorney investigators found that Bennallack was not criminally culpable for the shooting death of Villegas, 36, although the paper did not provide
evidence or rationale for the decision. In the Diaz matter, the D.A. also found that Bennallack was justified shooting him because the office thought Diaz had a gun. In many cases of police shootings, the reason given by officers for shooting unarmed men, who are disproportionately men of color who end up dead, is that the officer perceived them as an armed threat, giving them reason to defend themselves in lethal ways. This rationale begs the question: Was there no other way to injure the person? And what is more, is ending lives of suspects the only way our police protect and serve? The federal lawsuit for wrongful-death and civil rights violation, according to the Register, was dismissed in February of this year by U.S. District Court Judge Cormac J. Carney. The lawyer for the family filed an appeal in May. The paper reported that the next step will be for the lawyer to file his opening brief, and then city attorneys will in turn, file their opposing documents. Ultimately, a judge will determine whether to send the case back to the lower court for consideration.
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Physical fitness test proves that California students are becoming more fit State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced that the percentage of students who met the Healthy Fitness Zone performance standards in all six areas continued to climb this year, according to the results of the 2013‒14 Physical Fitness Test. “It’s encouraging to see our students becoming more fit and healthy,” said Torlakson. “Students have to be healthy and alert to succeed in the classroom, in college, and in their careers, but also to lead a more fulfilling life. That’s why it is so important that all of us— teachers, parents and community leaders—teach our children the importance of eating right, and exercising regularly and following healthy lifestyles ourselves so we can serve as role models.” More than 1.3 million fifth, seventh, and ninth graders took the FITNESSGRAM® during the 2013‒14 school year — a series of six separate tests that measure aerobic capacity, body composition, abdominal strength, trunk extensor strength, upper body strength, and flexibility. In all three grades the percentage of students who performed all six tests at the highest level increased compared to the last two years. Overall, about 26.6 percent of fifth graders, 33 percent of seventh graders, and 38.1 percent of ninth graders scored at the highest levels, called the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ). This represents levels of fitness that offer protection against diseases resulting from sedentary living. Torlakson, an avid runner and former high school cross country and track coach, demonstrated his commitment to fitness by launching a Team California for Healthy Kids initiative shortly after taking office. The initiative brings together educators, community leaders, athletes, and other celebrities to help schools offer
healthy choices to students. Students also improved in Aerobic Capacity, one of the six areas assessed annually and is considered among the most important gauges of health (Table 2). Aerobic Capacity is the ability to perform large muscle, high-intensity exercise for prolonged periods. Please note that the HFZ performance standards for the Body Mass Index (BMI), one of the three body composition test options under Body Composition, were updated for the 2013‒14 fitness assessment period. Thus, current Body Composition scores cannot be compared to previous years. This is the 15th year for
reporting physical fitness test results in California public schools. The program was first authorized in 1976 and reestablished in 1995 by Assembly Bill 265. The following year, the State Board of Education designated FITNESSGRAM® as the required physical fitness test to be administered to students in grades five, seven, and nine. The 2013–14 physical fitness results for schools, school districts, counties, and the state are available on the California Department of Education (CDE) Physical Fitness Test Results Web page. More information is also available on the CDE Physical Fitness Test Web page.
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UCLA study finds ancient Chinese exercise lessens inflammation in breast cancer survivors Current research indicates women diagnosed with breast cancer in the past ten years are three times more likely to suffer from lack of sleep. Insomnia leads to increases in inflammation, which places breast cancer survivors at risk for cancer recurrence as well as cardiovascular disease. New five-year UCLA study shows that Tai Chi relieved chronic inflammation in breast cancer survivors with insomnia. Researchers encourage clinicians to implement this low-cost martial arts technique as a therapeutic option to reverse inflammation, and potentially lower the risk for cancer recurrence and other chronic diseases in cancer survivors. In a new randomized trial that could improve longevity in
breast cancer survivors, UCLA researchers have discovered that the Chinese practice of Tai Chi can reduce inflammation in breast cancer patients who have insomnia following diagnosis and treatment. Led by UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center member Dr. Michael Irwin, researchers conducted a five-year clinical trial between April 2007 to August 2013. His team analyzed blood samples from 90 participants between 30 to 85 years old, before and after they started the Tai Chi routine. “When people practice Tai Chi, there’s a decrease in the stress hormone system by the sympathetic nervous system,” said Irwin, who is professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at UCLA. He and colleagues also discovered that Tai Chi relaxes the
body to a certain point that it can reduce inflammation, commonly seen in most breast cancer survivors after treatment. “We saw that Tai Chi reversed cellular inflammation, by producing a down-regulation of the genes that lead to inflammation,” said Dr. Irwin. “Tai chi is a movement meditation, and we have found that similar anti-inflammatory effects occur when people practice other forms of meditation.” Dr. Irwin hopes the exercise will gain in popularity, particularly in low-income communities where many do not have immediate access to breast cancer treatment. Previous research indicated that the majority of women who successfully fought breast cancer were three times more likely compared to the general population to
battle insomnia for at least ten years or more after the initial diagnosis. Two-time breast cancer survivor Linda Tucker has had many sleepless nights until recently. “I absolutely did not sleep, my eyes would not stay asleep, my body just would not relax and I found myself awake until six in the morning,” said Tucker. Desperate to find a cure for her sleeping problems, Tucker decided to participate in Dr. Irwin’s Tai Chi study at UCLA despite her initial skepticism. “I said to myself, this has to be a joke, this is not going to work or do anything. But after two sessions the insomnia started going away. I just felt a sense of peacefulness.” The study was published online Oct 27th ahead of print in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Elections: Gov. Brown stays in office for record term, Prop 47 passes Continued from page 1
the governor. Proposition 1, a bill designed to prepare for and help California through droughts by building water dams and reservoirs, will also fund protection, cleanup, and recycling of the state’s water sources. “California voters get it,” Ann Notthoff, the Natural Resources Defense Council Director of California Advocacy, said in a statement, according to the Mercury News. “We need to act now to protect what precious little water we have and
make smart investments to protect our water future.” Opponent Bill Jennings, executive director of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, was also quoted in the paper: “Prop. 1 did not change any of these stubborn facts: The Delta has been overpumped for decades, and this cannot be sustained, and our salmon and other fisheries are on the verge of collapse. The one thing that must be done if we’re going to stabilize the state’s water policies: Balance
water rights claims to actual water supplies.” Proposition 2 will make the state save money by help of a “rainy day fund,” which will stabilize the state’s budget by paying old debts and putting more restrictions on politicians before using its money. The Mercury News quoted a statement of Phillip Ung, California Forward Action Fund campaign manager for Yes on Proposition 2: “Californians save money and pay down debt every day. Tonight, by passing Proposition 2, voters told their government to do the same. This is an important step toward ending California’s ruinous boom and bust budgeting.” Opponents say this money should rather be used to improve California’s public schools. California’s current incumbent of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson defeated his challenger and fellow Democrat Marshall Tuck with a tight 52% to 48%. “Sixteen months ago we set out on this journey to do one thing: put children first and ensure that every child has equal access to a quality education,”
Tuck said in a statement, according to the LA Times. “And despite yesterday’s loss, I couldn’t be prouder of the unique coalition of parents, community leaders, teachers, Democrats, Republicans and independents we built along the way. Together we proved that in California there is a growing call for change.” Torlakson told the paper: “I congratulate my opponent for running a strong campaign. And while I disagree with him in many respects -- I believe he truly wants California’s children to succeed -- and I wish him well.” Another important decision for California was the approval of Proposition 47, which will release previously convicted felons, because their minor crimes such as theft under $950 and drug-related offenses are now reclassified as misdemeanors. Also, offenders of such crimes will from now on go to jail instead of prison. An article on the “FiveThirtyEight” website mentions states that have passed similar laws like this have saved money since the passing of related bills, and most of their crime rates have decreased.