FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 2006
Visit us online at smdp.com
Volume 5, Issue 239
Santa Monica Daily Press A newspaper with issues
DAILY LOTTERY 10 12 22 44 48 Meganumber: 16 Jackpot: $39M
THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL ELVIS WEEK
AIMCO wants tenants to move
Propped up
6 10 26 32 37 Meganumber: 3 Jackpot: $40M 3 6 17 23 31 MIDDAY: 2 4 7 EVENING: 1 0 6 1st: 10 Solid Gold 2nd: 09 Winning Spirit 3rd: 07 Eureka RACE TIME: 1.44.08 Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the winning number information, mistakes can occur. In the event of any discrepancies, California State laws and California Lottery regulations will prevail. Complete game information and prize claiming instructions are available at California Lottery retailers. Visit the California State Lottery web site at http://www.calottery.com
NEWS OF THE WEIRD BY
CHUCK
BY KEVIN HERRERA
SHEPARD
Daily Press Staff Writer
■ In June, the school board in Waterbury, Conn., responding to a crisis in student absenteeism, proposed to make almost all absences unexcused and subject to a $25 parental fine, even including medical absences unless a student is hospitalized or a physician attests that the illness was “serious and chronic.” It wound up dropping the fine and settling on the wording to “serious or chronic.” Nonetheless, in July, officials decided to promote 500 of the 685 students who had 19 or more absences during the year. ■ The tattoo-removal business is booming, according to a May Fox News report that highlights dissatisfaction with formerly trendy Chinese-language tats that were often either mistranslated as nonsense ("blood and guts” translated as “blood and intestines") or were actually jokes pulled on people too cool for their own good (such as Chinese words for “gullible white boy"). A removal service in Beverly Hills, Calif., said it takes off at least seven Asian tattoos a week. ■ WEIRD HEADLINES Eyebrow Wax Herpes Lawsuit to Proceed” (a June Journal News of Westchester County, N.Y., story of a lawsuit against a nail salon). (2) “Port to Get Nuclear Detectors That Won’t Be Set Off by Cat Litter” (a July Press of Atlantic City story about technology to reduce false positives from cargo with slight naturally occurring radiation). (3) “Man Once Convicted for Child Molestation Could Go Free Because Judge Accepted a Doughnut” (a July story on Northwest Cable News, Seattle, about a new trial ordered for a sex offender because the judge was too chummy with one juror).
Horoscopes Off to the movies Scorpio
NATIONAL
Smokers can keep it clean with new trays BY CAROLYN THOMPSON
14
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Smoking is hardly allowed anywhere, so cigarette butts are piling up everywhere: outside doorways of public buildings, on bus platforms and outside subway stations. The battle of the butts has become the focus of a nationwide anti-litter campaign that is distributing handy portable ashtrays that allow smokers to cleanly pocket smoked cigarettes. “Traditionally, people who smoke aren’t litterers, but they don’t think of their habit as producing litter when they throw it down on the ground,” said Jim Pavel, who is head-
15-19
See PORTABLE ASHTRAYS, page 11
2
Surf Report Water temperature: 69°
3
Crime Watch Spitting in the face of the law
4
Opinion Murdoch funds Clinton
6
State Drug kingpin booked
9
Entertainment Kevin Brandon plays SMC
10
National Katrina: Victims still struggling
12
MOVIETIMES 13
Comics Yak it up, yakmeister
Classifieds Ad space odyssey
See MURDER CHARGES, page 8
See LINCOLN PLACE, page 5
Fabian Lewkowicz/Daily Press Sheriff Lee Bacca, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger speak during a news conference at the Double Tree Guest Suites Hotel on Thursday, asking for the public support of Proposition 83, also known as ‘Jessica's Law.’ Mark Lunsford, father of 9-year-old murder victim, Jessica Lunsford, also spoke.
‘Black Widows’ seek legal representation BY KEVIN HERRERA Daily Press Staff Writer
Associated Press Writer
INDEX
Catch a flick!
Indigent Criminal Defense Program. Golay will appear in court on Aug. 28 when it will be determined whether or not her legal fees will be covered by the public.
VENICE — If the owners of the Lincoln Place apartments move forward with a mass eviction Sept. 1, they will have a difficult time obtaining the permits needed to demolish the World War II-era buildings and replace them with condominiums. That’s according to Los Angeles Assistant City Attorney Susan Pfann, who said city officials would be reluctant to approve the redevelopment project if Denver-based Apartment Investment Management Co. (AIMCO) does not abide by an agreement to relocate scores of tenants. “We’ve already warned the landlord that if they want to come to us for subdivision approval and they try to say they’ve met all of the conditions of the agreement, we think it is unlikely we’ll be able to find that they have done that,” Pfann said. “If they want to continue they’ll have great difficulty and I’m sure that they are aware of that.” AIMCO originally had agreed to pay relocation fees for the tenants while the development was under construction. But not all tenants have received relocation money and many remain on the property. That’s partly because tenants who are on fixed incomes believe the reimbursements won’t be enough for them to enter into the current rental market. It’s unknown whether AIMCO has attempted to address those concerns. Representatives from AIMCO did not return phone calls seeking comment. Pfann’s comments came a day after members of the Lincoln Place Tenants Association lost another attempt to stop the eviction, which would affect 40 households, all containing seniors and the disabled, said John Murdock, a Santa Monica-
Gary Limjap (310) 586-0339
It’s all about you... The client
DOWNTOWN, LA — An arraignment was postponed Thursday for the so-called “Black Widows,” a Santa Monica woman and a female accomplice, who are charged with murder for the hit-and-run deaths of two homeless men they allegedly befriended in a plot to cash in on their life insurance policies. Helen Golay, 75, of Santa Monica, and Olga Rutterschmidt, 73, of Hollywood, agreed to waive their rights to a speedy arraignment until Aug. 29. The postponement is a result of Rutterschmidt not having an attorney to represent her on capital murder charges. Citing financial hardship, Golay has petitioned the court for her private attorney to be paid for by the public, said Los VONS
RALPHS
ALBERTSONS
GOLAY
RUTTERSCHMIDT
Angeles District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Sandi Gibbons. If approved, Golay’s attorney will be paid similarly to what a public defender would be paid under the
AND OTHER LOCAL RETAILERS
SAVE
50- 90
$ $ ON YOUR NEXT
GROCERY BILL
www.iCanShop4Less.com
BACK OR UNFILED TAXES? ALL FORMS • ALL TYPES • ALL STATES SAMUEL B. MOSES, CPA
(310) 395-9922 100 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1800 Santa Monica 90401