Santa Monica Daily Press, June 23, 2004

Page 1

FR EE

FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2004

Volume 3, Issue 217

Santa Monica Daily Press A newspaper with issues

NEWS OF THE WEIRD BY CHUCK SHEPARD

■ In Denver in May, a 13-year-old girl, who was sometimes taunted by classmates because she has a small right arm and leg from cerebral palsy, was threatened with a knife and had her hair set on fire by a seventh-grade boy, but after the incident was reported, officials at Martin Luther King Middle School sent her home for the rest of the school year (for her protection, they said) while the boy remained in class. (The school’s interim principal admitted several days later that her staff had botched the investigation.) ■ Walt and Kathy Viggiano of Wichita, Kan., convinced Judge James Burgess to return their four children from foster care in 1999, following their removal because of excessive unsanitariness of the family's mobile home. Unlike in many such cases, Judge Burgess realized, the Viggianos loved their kids, had not abused them and had no alcohol or drug problems. Also, according to police who made the initial investigation, Walt and the kids seemed to have warm conversations, even though entirely in Klingon (from "Star Trek").

TODAY IN HISTORY ON JULY 23, 1886, New York saloonkeeper Steve Brodie claimed to have made a daredevil plunge from the Brooklyn Bridge into the East River. ■ In 1885, Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States, died in Mount McGregor, N.Y. at age 63. ■ In 1892, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was born. ■ In 1904, 100 years ago, by some accounts, the ice cream cone was invented by Charles E. Menches during the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis.

QUOTE OF THE DAY “Troubles impending always seem worse than troubles surmounted, but this does not prove that they really are.”

– ARTHUR M. SCHLESINGER JR. AMERICAN HISTORIAN

INDEX Horoscopes Don’t go far tonight, Leo

2

Local Relay for Life

3

Daily Press Staff Writer

National Up to par

11

Comics Crossword

12

Classifieds $3.50 a day

13-14

Service Directory Need a plumber?

15

Nicky Five Aces/Special to the Daily Press

Les Yeux Noirs performs Thursday night at the Santa Monica Pier twilight dance series.

Teachers, district resolve contract dispute BY JOHN WOOD

8

Twilight tunes

See LIVING WAGE, page 6

4

Entertainment The Bourne Supremacy

In 2002 living wage backers lost a ballot initiative, but in 2004 they plan to install their candidates on the city council. The 2002 plan would have instituted an $11.50 base wage for the employees of high-end hotels, restaurants and retail stores close to Santa Monica’s beaches. The City Council has already taken steps last month to set $11.50 as minimum pay for local government workers and government contractors. Next year’s budget has $300,000 set aside to cover the extra expense of the new wage, which is expected to be passed by the council this fall, city officials said. The 2002 initiative would have covered far more than just government workers. But exactly who would be covered was a divisive issue in the unsuccessful campaign. “We’re still interested in getting our living wage passed,” said Vivian Rothstein, a member of the Coalition for the Living Wage. Rothstein, the director of the Santa Monicans Allied for Responsible Tourism, has been a key player in several of the living wage proposals. Rothstein said the coalition is

committed to both a living wage for city employees and the hotel workers targeted by the 2002 initiative. She expressed frustration with the defeat of the 2002 measure, faulting business interests for misleading voters. Instead of pursuing a living wage ballot measure in 2004, the group will work to get its candidates on the council, she indicated. Buria Finkel, a volunteer for the coalition, has been compiling a list of candidates who will be interviewed early next week. She said the group had talked to about seven candidates as of Thursday, and will continue granting interviews until 5 p.m. on Friday. “This is an extremely important issue for all people everywhere,” she said. “If we are a society that cares about parity and fairness, it is very important that we try to equalize our efforts in making all people that work get a decent living.” Buria said the coalition has already been approached by each of the five candidates seeking the SMRR endorsment— incumbents Richard Bloom, Michael Feinstein and Ken Genser as well as Patricia Hoffman and Maria Loya. Unlike SMRR, the coalition won’t give

3

Opinion Work for the homeless

BY JOHN F. MULLER Special to the Daily Press

Teachers lose some PPO benefits, receive modest pay raise. Committee to seek alternatives to CalPERS

Surf Report Water temperature: 69°

Living wage group to endorse city council candidates

DISTRICT HDQTRS. — After more than a year of negotiations, local teachers and school officials this week agreed to a contract that scales back health care benefits, but provides for a modest 1 percent pay raise. The health care changes are expected to save the cash-strapped school district more than $500,000

Jacquie Banks

a year and help curtail future escalating medical costs. According to the deal, single teachers with the most expensive PPO plan will pay for the portion of their coverage that exceeds the basic HMO plan. Families and couples already had to pay that difference. Also agreed was the need to look into alternatives to the health care provided by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. An exploratory commit-

tee will be set up by teachers and administrators, officials said. “I’m very pleased with the contract,” said John Deasy, superintendent of schools. “It was a struggle to reach it. People worked hard to reach it. It wasn’t acrimonious or hostile, people just worked really hard.” The 1 percent pay raise becomes effective in February and is expected to cost the district about $225,000 this coming year. Another 1 percent pay raise became effective July 1, but that pay raise was guaranteed to the teachers, who last year deferred

the raise to help with the budget crunch. Harry Keiley, president of the local teacher union, said the deal reflects an appealing compromise for all sides. “It’s important to acknowledge that these were some of the most complicated and important discussions in recent memory, due in part to the unprecedented cuts in the last 24 months and the skyrocketing health care costs,” said Keiley, adding the new contract expires next summer. “The settlement is creative in that we were See SCHOOLS, page 6

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Santa Monica Daily Press, June 23, 2004 by Santa Monica Daily Press - Issuu