SEE PAGE 3 for ice arrests 9 and recovers $65 million
SEE PAGE 2 FOR authorization for use of force in syria and iraq MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 - SEPTEMBER 21, 2014
cypressnewspress.com
New law requires paid sick leave for California workers by jennifer schlueter According to the governor’s office, “about 40% of California’s workforce — an estimated 6.5 million people — have no paid sick leave benefits at all,” stated the Los Angeles Times. This will change July of next year, because last Wednesday, Governor Jerry Brown signed the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (AB 1522). For both part-time and full-time employees working more than 30 days per year, the legislation requires employers to grant them three days of paid sick leave. For every 30 hours of labor, employees can earn a minimum of one paid sick leave hour to recuperate themselves, or assist a sick family member. Unions and worker’s rights groups have long favored the new law and Brown called the bill by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, DSan Diego “real step forward” for, especially middle-class, workers, who had to choose between forcing themselves to work while sick and thus possibly endangering coworkers, or recover at home losing essential income and fearing job loss. The governor added in a
Governor Jerry Brown -Photo by Terry Miller
statement: “Whether you’re a dishwasher in San Diego or a store clerk in Oakland, this bill frees you of having to choose between your family’s health and your job.” After Connecticut in 2011, California has become the sec-
ond state to grant paid sick leave. Five years prior, San Francisco County was the first county nationwide to adopt such a law for workers within the county. Please see page 4
Gang associate convicted of murdering woman by dragging her with car
Co-defendant in this case was previously convicted and sentenced A female associate of an Asian criminal street gang was convicted yesterday of murdering a woman by dragging her several blocks on the outside of her car. Lynn Ai Quach, 24, Garden Grove, was found guilty by a jury yesterday Sept. 4, 2014, of one felony count
of special circumstances murder during the commission of a robbery with sentencing enhancements for criminal street gang activity and vicarious discharge of a firearm by a gang member. She faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison without the possibil-
ity of parole at her sentencing Oct. 24, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Co-defendant and Asian criminal street gang member, Please see page 2
VOLUME 1, NO. 12
Women's Conference, Thursday, September 18 Mark your calendars and register for the Cypress Women’s Conference on Thursday, September 18, 2014, from 8:45 a.m. to noon, at the Cypress Community Center, located at 5700 Orange Avenue. Council Member Mariellen Yarc stated, “I am very excited for the return of the Cypress Women’s Conference. We have some great speakers lined up for the event, including Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens. This event is a great opportunity for Cypress women of all ages and walks of life to come together to learn, share and celebrate our achievements.” In addition to the keynote speaker, the conference will also feature breakout sessions in a variety of interesting topics such as: - “Design What You Want or Deal With What You Get” - Healthy Lifestyle & Nutrition - Tips for Women – Investing and Saving - Women in Business: The Glass Ceiling, Is It Still There? The cost to attend this event is $15. Online registration is available through the City’s Recreation Department online registration system at www.cypressrec. com. To register via mail, please send a check or money order to: City of Cypress Administration 5275 Orange Avenue Cypress, CA 90630 Interested in being an Exhibitor? It’s Free! Visit http://www. ci.cypress.ca.us/economic_dvlpt/ womens_conference.htm for more information and to sign-up. For more information regarding the Conference, contact Steve Clarke at sclarke@ci.cypress.ca.us, or (714) 229-6728.
2 | SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 - SEPTEMBER 21, 2014
Governor Brown signs agreement with Ambassador of Japan
- Courtesy Photo
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. on Monday signed an agreement with Japan’s Ambassador to the United States, Kenichiro Sasae, to further cooperation between Japan and California on climate change, renewable energy, trade and investment, zeroemission vehicles, high-speed rail and water. The agreement calls for the two entities to collaborate on technologies that will support California’s goal of having 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025, as well as innovation related to high-speed rail, water conservation and renewable energy. Last year, Governor Brown met with Osaka Governor Ichiro Matsui and signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation between California and its sister-state in Japan on clean energy, environmen-
tal protection, tourism and other areas. The agreement follows Governor Brown’s July Trade and Investment Mission to Mexico and meetings with Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto in Sacramento and Los Angeles last month. Over the past year, Governor Brown has also signed accords with leaders from Mexico, China, Canada, Israel and Peru to combat climate change, strengthen California’s economic ties, and expand cooperation on promising research. In February, Governor Brown established the California International Trade and Investment Advisory Council to help expand international business opportunities for California companies and appointed former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Eleni Kounalakis as chair.
Water official sentenced to 180 days in jail The treasurer of the West Basin Municipal Water District pleaded guilty today to charges that he embezzled nearly $20,000 from the agency to pay for tennis and dance lessons for his children and repairs on his boat, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced. Ronald Craig Smith, 55, pleaded guilty to one count of conflict of interest before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Thomas Sokolov. He was immediately sentenced to 180 days in county jail and placed on probation for five years. As part of a negotiated plea, Smith submitted his resignation today to the West Basin
Municipal Water District, and he turned over a $10,000 check to the district as a partial repayment of the stolen funds. He was ordered to pay $7,765 in remaining restitution to the water district. Arraignment for Smith’s two co-defendants, Robert Earl Katherman Jr. and his wife, Marilyn Katherman, was postponed to Oct. 1. Smith admitted orchestrating a scheme to funnel money from the West Basin board to a nonprofit agency run by the Kathermans. Shortly after receiving the water basin’s donations, the agency began writing checks on behalf of Smith and his family covering tuition for his children and boat repairs.
Gang associate convicted Continued from page 1
Christopher Dai-Ichi Yu, 22, Fountain Valley, was found guilty by a jury June 8, 2011, of one felony count each of murder, attempted murder, and street terrorism with sentencing enhancements for criminal street gang activity, personal discharge of a firearm, and vicarious discharge of a firearm by a gang member. He was sentenced Nov. 18, 2011, to 74 years to life in state prison. On March 27, 2010, Yu and Quach arranged to meet 38-yearold Tuyet Thi Huynh with the intention of robbing her under the false pretense of selling her drugs. At approximately11:30 p.m., the defendants met the victim in a parking lot at Russell Paris Park in Westminster. Huynh approached the defendants’ car, where Quach was in the driver’s seat and Yu was in the front passenger’s seat. Huynh’s 36-year-old boyfriend, Truong Pham, waited for the victim in his car. When the victim approached the passenger window of the defendants’ car holding cash, Yu grabbed the cash from Huynh’s hand. Huynh’s purse became tangled on the car and Huynh’s arm was tangled in the purse.
Quach began to drive away and Huynh was dragged for almost a mile until she fell from the outside of the car and landed on the road. A witness stopped to help her and called 9-1-1. The victim’s boyfriend attempted to follow Yu and Quach in his car and called 9-1-1. Yu attempted to murder Pham by shooting at his car with a firearm as he followed behind the defendants. A passing Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputy observed the two speeding vehicles and performed a traffic stop of the defendants’ car. The deputy detained Yu and Quach, who were arrested shortly thereafter by responding officers from the Westminster Police Department (WPD). At the time of their arrest, Yu and Quach were in possession of a firearm and Huynh’s purse inside their car. Huynh was transported to the hospital and was later pronounced dead due to head trauma from being dragged and falling from the car. WPD investigated this case. Senior Deputy District Attorney Daniel Feldman of the Gangs Unit is prosecuting this case.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 - SEPTEMBER 21, 2014 | 3
hlr media EDITORIAL
jschlueter@hlrmedia.com
Editor
Jennifer Schlueter
Publisher HLR Media
Advertising
advertising@hlrmedia.com
Submissions:
Please send all press releases to: jschlueter@hlrmedia.com HLR Media, LLC .All contents herein are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part, without the express written consent of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are not necessarily that of the management and staff at HLR Media, LLC
Phone: (626) 386-3457 Fax: (626) 600-4452
Alhambra PRESS
Baldwin Park
INDEPENDENT
INDEPENDENT
ICE arrests 9 and recovers $65 million in cash in Fashion District bust Federal authorities Wednesday arrested nine people and seized approximately $65 million in cash in a massive sweep of the Fashion District used as money laundering for Mexican drug cartels. The raids, conducted by approximately 1,000 officers with the DEA, ICE, IRS and FBI, were carried early Wednesday morning on Fashion District businesses in Los Angeles The businesses were suspected of using “Black Market Peso Exchange” schemes to launder drug money for international cartels, the Department of Justice said. In one of three cases unsealed Wednesday alleges that the Sinaloa Drug Cartel used a Fashion District business to accept and launder ransom payments to secure the release of a United States citizen who was kidnapped by the organization after the U.S. government seized more the 100 kilograms of cocaine that he was supposed to distribute. The man was held hostage, beaten, shot, electrocuted and waterboarded at a ranch in Mexico. He was released after relatives paid $140,000 in ransom. The other two cases in the indictment involved defendants who worked for or owned businesses in the Fashion District that operated a Black Market Peso Exchange scheme. The peso broker arranges for the illegally obtained dollars to be delivered to the United States-based vendors, such as the stores in the Fashion District, and these illegally obtained dollars are used to pay for the goods purchased by the foreign customers,” officials said. The scheme is typically used by Mexican cartels to collect money from U.S.-based sale without the risk of smuggling bulk amounts of cash across the border. BMPE also lessens the risk of illegal activity
-Courtesy Photo
being detected. “Los Angeles has become the epicenter of narco-dollar money laundering with couriers regularly bringing duffel bags and suitcases full of cash
to many businesses,” said Robert E. Dugdale, the Assistant United States Attorney who oversees the Criminal Division in the Central District of California.
Long Beach Office 3780 Kilroy Airport Way Suite 360 Long Beach, CA 90806 Ph. (562) 472-0071 Fx. (562) 689-0071 Los Angeles Office 5701 South Eastern Avenue Suite 100 Los Angeles, CA 90040 Ph. (323) 727-1144 Fx. (323) 727-9198 www.heger-industrial.com Lic. #00814086
4 | SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 - SEPTEMBER 21, 2014
Rep. Schiff wants Obama to 18 year old runs for State seek authorization for any Assembly – will challenge continued use of force in Chris Holden’s seat Iraq or Syria from Congress He might be the youngest Tsai said. “We didn’t see Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), a senior Member of the Intelligence Committee and author of legislation to sunset the post9/11 authorization for use of military force, released the following statement: “The threat posed ISIS is very real and must be confronted. The President was right to act in Iraq last month to protect American personnel, prevent a humanitarian crisis, and push back jihadists from continuing their campaign of mass slaughter. However, if the President intends to prolong the military campaign in Iraq or extend it into Syria, he needs to make the case directly to the American people and secure authorization from Congress. “All Americans are repulsed and enraged by the gruesome murders of two
American journalists and the horrors committed by ISIS against the people of Iraq and Syria. As the President outlines his strategy to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIS – a plan he acknowledges will take years – Congress must carefully consider what it is being asked to approve regarding a military campaign that will extend from this Presidency to the next. “The Constitution gives Congress the responsibility to declare war, even while investing in the President the power to wage war once declared and to take limited other actions in defense of the country. Since the actions contemplated by the President go well beyond the immediate imperative of protecting Americans at risk, Congress is required to act.”
candidate ever to run for statewide office in California history. But 18-year-old Nathaniel Tsai is still hoping to get your vote. Tsai is running on the Republican ticket for the state Assembly seat that is held by Democratic incumbent Chris Holden in a district that stretches along Interstate 210 from Pasadena to Upland, excluding the city of Arcadia. He entered the primary season late and utilizing the write-in vote, beat out two other write-in candidates. Now he’s poised to fight an admittedly uphill battle in a heavily Democratic district. But Tsai is not letting that stop him. “My friends and I were originally looking for internships to get involved with,”
anyone running against Chris Holden. I wanted to get involved.” A 2013 graduate of San Marino High School who is studying government at Claremont McKenna College, Tsai said he doesn’t lean as far to the right as much of the party outside California does. “I’m socially moderate and fiscally conservative,” he said. “The issues I felt were most important to me this election were the fiscal issues.” “I am really against Common Core,” he said. “In the state of California it’s probably not going to get repealed. Fourteen out of 38 states that had Common Core repealed it in less than three years.” (Shel Segal can be reached at ssegal@beaconmedianews.com and followed via Twitter @segallanded).
Three days of sick leave for California workers Continued from page 1
According to the LA Times, the bill exempts not only “workers subject to certain collective bargaining agreements and airline flight crews and attendants who are under federal labor laws,” but
also 363,000 state workers, because its execution would have cost the state of California more money. The Washington Post quoted a statement of the National Federation of Independent Business in Califor-
nia, in which the association’s executive director John Kabateck inquired: “So the state can’t afford its own mandates, but small business owners are supposed to be able to absorb those costs?” He added: “Our small-business owners, who make up more than 99% of the employer community in California, already face an increase in minimum wage, among the highest taxes and more regulations than any other state. This will only serve to eliminate any plans small employers have to grow and expand their businesses.” Jot Condie, president and chief executive of the California Restaurants Assn., also argues against the law: “Operators essentially have to pay twice — for the staffer staying home and for someone to take
their place,” he told the LA Times. “A one-size-fits-all approach to sick leave is inappropriate and onerous.” Others, such as Los Feliz’ Skylight Books owner and manager Kerry Slattery, who already provides paid sick leave and paid vacation, support the new law: “I think it’s a reasonable thing to do,” Slattery said. “It’s investing in professional employees.” Brown justified his decision to improve working conditions for the middle class with the following statement: “When you look at the power and the wealth that is accumulated by a very small percentage, and then you look at the people at the bottom ... this is the least we can do and there’s more in the coming years,” he told the LA Times.