MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2005
Volume 4, Issue 176
FR EE
Santa Monica Daily Press A newspaper with issues
DAILY LOTTERY
Homeless liaison idea losing steam
Riding on air
SUPER LOTTO 14 15 39 42 45 Meganumber: 11 Jackpot: $44 Million
FANTASY 5 1 9 10 11 15
DAILY 3 Daytime: Evening:
531 063
BY RYAN HYATT
DAILY DERBY
Daily Press Staff Writer
1st: 2nd: 3rd:
06 Whirl Win 08 Gorgeous George 11 Money Bags
RACE TIME:
1:45.06
NEWS OF THE WEIRD BY
CHUCK
SHEPARD
In October, two pilots of the regional Pinnacle Airlines, with no one else on board, told air controllers they were taking the craft to its highest listed altitude (41,000) feet “to have a little fun,” but then engines failed. In their last communication before crashing (according to transcripts published by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in March), the crew asked “Is that cool” if they took the plane to a lower altitude to try to restart the engines. And in separate fatal incidents, two 20year-old men assumed that military flak vests are bulletproof. (They are designed only to protect against shrapnel.) A vestwearing man in Orofino, Idaho, “dared” his friend to shoot him (December), and another, in Hobart, Ind., asked to be shot to prepare him for his upcoming military service (February).
TODAY IN HISTORY Today is the 157th day of 2005. There are 208 days left in the year. On June 6, 1944, the D-Day invasion of Europe took place during World War II as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France. In 1918, the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood, which resulted in a U.S. victory over the Germans, began in France.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Devon Meyers/Special to the Daily Press Kitesurfers enjoy the afternoon winds off of Leo Carrillo State Beach.
COMMUNITYPROFILES | COMMUNITY PROFILES IS A WEEKLY SERIES THAT APPEARS EACH MONDAY AND DELVES INTO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY IN SANTA MONICA.
Steven Luciano: Calling for peace
“To be successful, grow to the point where one completely forgets himself; that is, to lose himself in a great cause.”
BY RYAN HYATT Daily Press Staff Writer
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
INDEX Horoscopes Go along with others, Sag
2
Surf Report Water temperature: 62°
3
Opinion Protect preferential parking
4
Commentary The irony of government funding
5
Comics Laugh it up
9
Classifieds Have some class
10-11
Legal Notices DBAs
CITY HALL — The idea of a popular leader to tackle the homeless problem in Santa Monica might be falling on deaf ears among some elected officials. Some members of the Santa Monica City Council questioned the effectiveness of hiring a highprofile, regional liaison to address the problem of homelessness during a May 25 budget study session. Meanwhile, Councilman Bobby Shriver, who suggested the idea, attempted to assuage concerns and remained steadfast in the need for the position. The regional homeless liaison would be hired on a contractual basis, and the position’s effectiveness will be reviewed after a year, Shriver said. The person would likely be hired for one year, paid as much as $200,000 and report his or her results directly to City Manager Susan McCarthy. The regional homeless liaison would be responsi-
12-15
Jacquie Banks
Overcoming drug and alcohol addiction hasn’t been easy for Steven Luciano, who has been clean for four years. The 36-year-old father of two is a national sales manager for Famous Stars and Straps, a clothing line popular among youths that embraces hip-hop culture. Luciano is also a former gang member who served eight years in prison for robbery and drug possession, but he wants Santa Monica’s youths to know — especially those who have not had an easy start — the obstacles they face can be overcome. That’s why Luciano said he accompanied local school board member Oscar de la Torre to Santa Monica High School the week following the Friday, April 15, brawl
involving several Latino and black students that caused the campus to go on lockdown and required back-up units from neighboring police agencies. In the aftermath of the fights, Luciano agreed to go to Samohi and share his story with students struggling in the school system, to encourage them to pave a path for themselves other than the hard road he has taken. However, when de la Torre, Luciano and another guest arrived on campus on Wednesday, April 20, they were asked to leave. In a report that detailed the incident, a Santa Monica Police officer at the scene identified Luciano as “Big Lucky” from Santa Monica’s 17th Street Gang. The police department said it had specific information it received last year about “Big
UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP! Always free accessories with phone purchase.
See PROFILES, page 7
ble for advancing programs such as the sobering center, a mental health and drug court, year-round housing through the Veterans Administration, and chronic homeless outreach, to affect Santa Monica and neighboring communities. After a year, city staff would prepare a report for the council to determine the effectiveness of the position. The City Council directed staff to refine the job description and research the recruitment process for the position at an April 26 meeting. The council is expected to hear a staff report on June 14 about the feasibility of the position during a public hearing on next year’s budget. The position might then be approved and adopted with next year’s budget, expected to occur on June 21. The regional homeless leader position has been earmarked as a priority in next year’s budget plan, although no funds have yet been See LIAISON, page 6
Mystery photo
Fabian Lewkowicz/Special to the Daily Press
The first person to identify where this photo was taken will win a gift certificate to Izzy’s Deli. E-mail answers to editor@smdp.com.
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