California’s High-Speed Rail Plan
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Tennis’ Best Converge At BNP Paribas
March 13, 2013
Vol.7 No. 11
Photos and Story by Pat Krause
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entertainment Dee Wallace | 11
INDIAN WELLS - The Indian Wells Tennis Gardens BNP Paribas Open started on Mar. 4 and continues through Mar. 17. Hundreds of tennis professionals are trying to win the coveted trophy. Tennis matches continue each day with one winner and one loser in each match. There are Men’s singles, Women’s Singles and Men’s and Women’s Doubles matches on the many courts in the Gardens. Top seeds have to beat everyone to get to the finals on Sunday. The Stadium Court has really the most exciting matches daily and the players have to bring their A game in order to win. The weather has been fantastic
COP Academy By Jackie Devereaux
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dining out Billy Reed’s | 12
for tennis; the wind has not been a factor yet and the rains have held off so no matches have had to be cancelled. Warmer weather is predicted later in the week, which could be a problem for the afternoon matches. The Tennis Gardens provides entertainment each day in the area with tables and food vendors. Clothing exhibitions, Radio shows and an autograph tent are some of the biggest attended areas. Fans line the practice area in hopes of getting an autograph from a favorite player on a huge or small tennis ball. Vendors selling all kinds of tennis related articles line the grounds and a park with
DESERT HOT SPRINGS – “Nothing’s off limits,” said DHS Crime Prevention Officer Jim Knabb, the host and facilitator of an eight week long Citizens on Patrol (COP) Academy held at the Henry V. Lozano Community Center located at Tedesco Park on West Arroyo Drive. The first class was held on Tuesday, Mar. 5 from 6 – 9 p.m. and will be held each consecutive Tuesday night through Apr. 22. DHS Police Commander Dan Bressler spoke to the class of 18
Palm Springs Rail Plan
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volunteer citizens offering a fourhour ride along in a patrol car with a police officer on either a day or night shift, and a tour of the police station as two of the requirements for gaining COP certification. Cmdr. Bressler also explained how a long-drawn out Supreme Course decision ordered the reduction of our state’s prison population from a burgeoning 160,000 plus inmates down to 100,000 inmates by June 27, 2013. Cmdr. Bressler said, “We’re dealing with a whole new class of criminals on our streets,”
and House Transportation and Infrastructure Rail Subcommittee Chairman, Jeff Denham (R), addressed his concerns with PALM SPRINGS - House the state’s planned high-speed Transportation and Infrastructure rail project during remarks in Rail Subcommittee Chairman Palm Springs to the annual Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) discussed meeting of the Associated High-Speed Rail and other General Contractors of America. transportation Issues during an Denham also addressed efforts to address to a contractors group on increase funding for highway and Friday, Mar. 8 at the J.W. Marriott other transportation upgrades. Desert Springs Hotel located at The Congressman addressed 74-855 Country Club Road. the Highway and Transportation California Congressman, Division of the Associated
Maria Kirilenko of Russia waits for a serve from Christina McHale during day 3 of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 8, 2013 in Indian Wells, California Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
different from those the police department worked hard to eliminated over the past five years. During Operation Rising Sun, where 750 law enforcement officers from more than 30 different agencies descended on the streets of DHS in mid-2008, they arrested 125 convicted felons wanted on numerous charges. Back then, the streets in DHS were pretty scary. Open prostitution and drug dealing took place at numerous local hot spots, including the 7-11 store on the corner of Palm Drive and 8th Street. Things got so bad at this location that the 7-11 management erected an unmanned police substation inside the store and beefed up video surveillance to keep General Contractors of America during the group’s annual convention at the J.W. Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert. After the Congressman’s remarks, he answered questions from the crowd during a Q&A. Congressman Jeff Denham (CA-R), Chairman, House Transportation and Infrastructure Rail Subcommittee Construction Contractors For more information, contact Brian Turmail, (703) 459-0238 or turmailb@agc.org.
the criminals away. It worked, and now that 7-11 has a “peaceful easy feeling” where customers can shop without fear of being accosted. However, after cleaning up the streets for the past five years, and chasing out the previous criminals hiding out in DHS, a new threat has seized the entire state called the “Realignment” of our 33 state prisons. That is the subject of my editorial on Page 3. The story here is that Citizens on Patrol are now more important than ever and will be trained to act as the quasi-official eyes and ears for the police department. If you think you’ve got what it takes to help local police combat crime, call 760-329-2904, ext. 340.
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