2013 11 18 burbank independent

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burbankindependent.com

Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s father murdered during home invasion

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18 - NOVEMBER 24, 2013 - VOLUME 2, NO. 46

Student’s perfect score on AP Calculus exam deemed “extremely rare”

Assemblyman Mike Gatto

Los Angeles County Coroner officials removed the body of Joseph Gatto in Los Angeles Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013 from his home in Silverlake. California Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s father, Joseph Gatto was fatally shot in his Los Angeles home after a home invasion robbery. Gatto, 78, was found late Wednesday at his home in Silver Lake, police said. A family member discovered Gatto shot at least one time and that the home Please see page 3

-Courtesy Photo

A student at Arcadia High School received a perfect score on his AP Calculus Exam recently. This is extremely rare. To put it into perspective, approximately 4 million students took the

exam, only 11 in the world got a perfect score. Nathan Chou has entered the record books for academic achievement. Arcadia Unified School District is known for very

Court upholds California’s landmark cap-and-trade program Program is a cornerstone of state's effort to reduce carbon pollution Sacramento Superior Court has upheld California’s ambitious cap-andtrade program against a challenge to its carbon auctions, a key feature of the landmark program. Cap-and-trade allows California to reduce carbon pollution at the lowest possible cost while auctioning carbon permits holds polluters accountable for their impact on the climate. “Today’s decision marks another win for the Golden State’s clean energy economy and the communities across California hit hardest by cli-

mate pollution. The court sent a strong signal today, thoroughly affirming California’s innovative climate protection program—including the vital safeguards to ensure that polluters are held accountable for their harmful emissions” said Erica Morehouse, an attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund. The court stated: “The court does not find Petitioners’ arguments persuasive. Although AB 32 does not explicitly authorize the sale of allowances, it specifically delegates to [the Air Resources Board] the

discretion to adopt a capand-trade program and to “design” a system of distribution of emissions allowances.” “The court affirmed today what the overwhelming majority of Californians want – to move forward with clean energy solutions that help reduce pollution and create opportunities for clean energy innovation,” added Alex Jackson, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “The decision clears the way for Please see page 4

high achieving students who go on to some of the most prestigious universities year after year, many National Merit Scholarship students but according to AUSD officials, they do not recall ever

having a student getting a perfect score on an AP exam. He might actually be the only in the entire country to do so, but we just got the notification letter from the College Board and are still looking into it.

Speaker John A. Perez on President Obama’s decision on the Affordable Care Act Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) released the following statement on President Barack Obama’s announcement Thursday on the Affordable Care Act. Speaker Pérez is the author of the legislation that established Covered California, the nation’s first health care exchange created under the federal Affordable Care Act, and the author of the legislation that expanded MediCal coverage to over one million low-income and uninsured Californians: “California is working hard to continue to implement the market reforms and goals of the AffordPlease see page 2

Yoga instructor convicted of Sexual Battery Pasadena City Attorney/City Prosecutor Michele Beal Bagneris today announced the successful conviction of a local yoga instructor on four counts of sexual battery. A Los Angeles County Superior Court jury in Pasadena on Nov. 13, 2013 found Naader Shagagi, 56, a yoga instructor and owner of Yoga Kingdom Sanctuary, 553 S. Lake Ave., guilty of four counts of sexual battery by fraudulent representation. Sentencing is set for Dec. 5, 2013 in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Pasadena, Department O. The defendant’s conviction requires a lifetime registration as a sex of-

fender. “We are grateful that the jury has sent a strong message that sex crimes will not be tolerated,” Pasadena City Attorney/City Prosecutor Michele Beal Bagneris said. If other victims step forward, our office will pursue these matters and seek justice for the victims.” Mr. Shagagi was convicted of committing the sexual crimes at his Lake Avenue yoga studio. He was convicted under California Penal Code section 243.4(c). The jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on two other sexual battery charges. The case was based on complaints from three

young female yoga students who were assaulted by Shagagi during socalled private “healing” sessions. Evidence provided by Deputy City Prosecutor Joon Kim showed the victims were told that his intimate touching would help “heal” the victims. Other fraudulent representations that the defendant made to the victims included that he was a “healer” who had cured others of breast cancer and that he was a “messenger of gods” who could communicate with gods. One of Yoga Kingdom Sanctuary’s broPlease see page 4


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