BE SURE TO VISIT: PASADENAROSEPARADE.COM
westcovinapress.com
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18 - DECEMBER 24, 2014
VOLUME 2, NO. 50
FREE
DUI Congressman Schiff Announces Federal Apply Now Crackdown Funding for Earthquake Early Warning System for the by Law California Enforcement Senate Across the Fellows State Through Program January 1 In an effort to stem the rise in impaired driving crashes traditionally seen around the holiday period, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) announced the start of the December DUI Crackdown today, which will continue through Jan. 1. The crackdown kickoff coincided with the launch of the agency’s designated driver mobile app, DDVIP. “This is a time which should be for families and celebrations, not for tragedies on our roadways,” said OTS Director Rhonda Craft. “It is easy to avoid a DUI arrest or crash - don’t drive impaired. Designate a sober driver, or be one yourself.” During the crackdown period, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and over 200 participating law enforcement agencies throughout California will be conducting increased sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols. These measures are not only meant to keep impaired drivers off the roads, but also to raise public awareness about the dangers of driving while impaired by either alcohol or drugs. All efforts reinforce the Report Drunk Drivers--Call 911 and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over messages, which aim to keep impaired drivers off the road. During the 2012 Christmas and New Year’s holiday weekends alone, 70 lost their lives due to alcohol-related crashes in California. During that entire year, alcohol was responsible for 1,169 deaths and nearly 24,000 injuries in the state. “It is important not to Please see page 3
sensors, build new stations, speed up the ShakeAlert system, and come closer to deploying comprehensive early earthquake warning coverage throughout earthquake prone regions of the
Applications are now available for the 2015-16 California Senate Fellows program and can be picked up in the Capitol or District offices of Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff (RDiamond Bar) or accessed online. Established in 1973, the California Senate Fellows (CSF) program is one of the oldest and most distinguished service learning programs in the country. It offers college graduates a paid, full-time legislative staff position in the State Capitol for 11 months. The deadline for submitting applications for the 2015-2016 California Senate Fellows is February 25, 2015. The CSF program is jointly sponsored by the
Please see page 5
Please see page 3
Congressman Adam Schiff (D¬Burbank) announced that Congress has included $5 million in funds this year towards the Earthquake Early Warning System during a press conference at Caltech Monday morning – Photo by Terry Miller
On Monday morning Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) announced that Congress has included $5 million in FY 2015 funding bill, also known as the CROmnibus, for a West Coast
Earthquake Early Warning System, the first time Congress has ever provided funding specifically for the system. A limited system developed by Caltech, UCBerkeley and University of Washington, in conjunction with the United State
Los Angeles Man slams into cars in Alhambra Injuring 13 people Alhambra police said more than a dozen people were injured after a suspected drunk driver hit two parked vehicles which sent one of the vehicles into pedestrians watching a Christmas display at a home Sunday night. Alhabra PD said a 27-year-old woman was
in critical condition at a hospital on Monday. The driver, Ismael Soto, 28, of Los Angeles, was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence. Soto also sustained minor injuries in the crash. The accident was at Please see page 4
Geological Survey (USGS), has already been deployed and has proven that the early warning technology is sound. This $5 million in funding will allow those developing the statewide system to begin purchasing and installing additional
Judy Chu Castigated for Interfering in House Ethics Investigation Concluding a probe it launched in March 2012 into allegations that Rep. Judy Chu tasked her official staff with campaign work while they were on the clock, the House Ethics Committee rebuked the California Democrat Thursday for interfering with its investigation, according to Roll Call, Capitol Hill’s daily newspaper. “Investigators learned a staffer had drafted a memo for an August 2011 fundraising lunch at the direction of Chu’s legislative director. They also discovered a second staffer spent several hours sifting through emails to Chu’s campaign account that were sent in response to a “military hazing” email.”
That committee later determined Chu didn’t know about the improper work, and therefore had not violated House rules. But investigators learned over the course of the probe that the three-term congresswoman talked to Please see page 5
Los Angeles Blaze Calls Building Codes into Question The fire that ruined buildings and snarled traffic in downtown Los Angeles last week may not have happened ten years ago. However, loosening of the building codes and the increasing importance on low-cost construction is putting Los Angeles and other areas at risk. “Taller and larger wood buildings are part of trend to relax fire protection provisions in building design and construction to reduce costs,” says Stephen S. Szoke, PCA senior director of codes and stanPlease see page 6