Riverside County brush fire contained after burning 33 acres

Firefighters in Riverside County contained a brush fire Wednesday night after it had scorched about 33 acres near Banning.

About 140 firefighters responded to the blaze, which broke out about 5 p.m. near California 243 and Mt. Edna, the Riverside County Fire Department said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation. No injuries were reported, officials said, and no structures were damaged.

ALSO:

Attorney defends Fullerton officers in death of homeless man

Vernon pays $500,000 to ex-official who pleaded guilty to corruption

Metal shanks hidden in cake leads to tighter security at Sacramento murder trial

— Robert J. Lopez

twitter.com/LAJourno

 

Photo: Crews respond to brush fire. Credit: Riverside County Fire Department

2 buildings evacuated after loud noise from electrical vault

A loud noise coming from an underground electrical vault in Tarzana on Wednesday night shattered windows and forced residents to be evacuated from two nearby buildings, fire officials said.

Preliminary information indicated that the buildings were apartments or condominiums, said Erik Scott, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

He said there were no injuries or reports of fire in the incident, which was reported about 8:15 p.m. in the 18400 block of West Collins Street.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power crews were at the scene investigating.

ALSO:

Attorney defends Fullerton officers in death of homeless man

Vernon pays $500,000 to ex-official who pleaded guilty to corruption

Metal shanks hidden in cake leads to tighter security at Sacramento murder trial

-- Robert J. Lopez

twitter.com/LAJourno

Image: Map shows the location of the electrical vault incident.

Credit: Times' Mapping L.A.

Retailer donates 170-acre ranch to Saddleback Church

An arts and crafts retailer has donated the 170-acre Rancho Capistrano, previously owned by the Crystal Cathedral, to Saddleback Church.

The Lake Forest church, headed by the Rev. Rick Warren, has been leasing the property, used for retreats, conferences and worship services, from Hobby Lobby, based in Oklahoma City.

"Pastor Warren's contributions to the world are long and inspirational, and we hope this transaction adds to his church's legacy of producing good in the world and providing hope to many," David Green, chief executive of Hobby Lobby, said in a statement.

Laguna Hills man is arrested in underage sex sting

A Laguna Hills man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of trying to have sex with what he believed was a 13-year-old girl, authorities said.

Instead, Ian Kincheloe met an undercover investigator who had posed as the girl in a series of online, text and phone communications between the two, the Orange County Sheriff's Department said.

Kincheloe, 25, was taken into custody at the Huntington Beach Pier, where the rendezvous was supposed to take place, the department said.

He was being held Wednesday night in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Anyone with information is asked to call (866) 847-6273.

ALSO:

Attorney defends Fullerton officers in death of homeless man

Vernon pays $500,000 to ex-official who pleaded guilty to corruption

Metal shanks hidden in cake leads to tighter security at Sacramento murder trial

-- Robert J. Lopez

twitter.com/LAJourno

Photo: Ian Kincheloe

Credit: Orange County Sheriff's Department

 

Bell 8 to ask for charges to be dismissed after court ruling

Defense attorneys for the former Bell leaders accused of looting the city treasury of the working-class town said their clients scored a victory this week in a state Supreme Court ruling involving a northern California official accused of misappropriating public funds.

The high court, in rejecting an appeal from Sutter County Auditor-Controller Robert Stark, said that prosecutors in public corruption cases have to prove defendants knew they were breaking the law or were criminally negligent in not knowing.

The so-called Bell 8 -- former City Council members Luis Artiga, Victor Bello, George Cole, Oscar Hernandez, Teresa Jacobo, George Mirabal, former City Administrator Robert Rizzo and his assistant Angela Spaccia -- maintain they had no idea they were violating laws as they helped themselves to bloated salaries, top-of-the-line retirement benefits and personal loans from the city.

Their attorneys said they will point to the Stark ruling when they ask that charges be dropped. A hearing is scheduled in September.

"It’s a big boost for the defendants because it says there has to be some sort of criminal intent in order to be convicted of misappropriation of funds," said Stanley L. Friedman, Hernandez’s attorney.

Teen was trapped in sand for 20 minutes before rescue

A teenage boy digging a hole in the sand at Newport Beach became trapped for about 20 minutes Wednesday before he was rescued.

The teen was wedged in by collapsed sand before he was pulled out by firefighters and lifeguards, KTLA-TV Channel 5 reported.

The incident occurred near 54th Street shortly after 3:30 p.m.

The boy was taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, according to the report.

ALSO:

Attorney defends Fullerton officers in death of homeless man

Vernon pays $500,000 to ex-official who pleaded guilty to corruption

Metal shanks hidden in cake leads to tighter security at Sacramento murder trial

-- Robert J. Lopez

twitter.com/LAJourno

Photo: Site of the sand collapse.

Credit: KTLA-TV Channel 5

 

Discrimination lawsuit over Buddhist temple settled with Walnut

The U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday that it had settled a religious discrimination lawsuit with the city of Walnut regarding a Buddhist house of Worship.

The lawsuit was filed by the department after the city denied a zoning permit to operate the Chung Tai Zen Center in 2008. The city had not rejected any other permit applications for houses of worship since at least 1980 and approved a similar permit for a Catholic church in 2008, federal officials said.

"Religious freedom is among our most cherished rights," Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general of the Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. The settlement, he said, "prohibits inferior treatment of any religious organization."

The settlement must be approved by a federal judge.

ALSO:

Attorney defends Fullerton officers in death of homeless man

Vernon pays $500,000 to ex-official who pleaded guilty to corruption

Metal shanks hidden in cake leads to tighter security at Sacramento murder trial

-- Robert J. Lopez

twitter.com/LAJourno

 

Body that sat in burned garage for 2 days is a female, police say

A body that sat for two days in a Pasadena garage that had partially burned in a fire before being discovered was identified Wednesday as a female, police said.

Firefighters knocked down the blaze that had burned parts of the main home in eight minutes early Sunday and left after residents in the house said no one lived in the garage, the Pasadena Police Department said in a statement.

Several hours later, police said, fire crews returned to douse smoldering hot spots on the roof of the garage in the 100 block of South San Marino Avenue.

Firefighters battle brush fire in Riverside County

Firefighters in Riverside County were battling a brush fire Wednesday afternoon that had burned about 5 acres in Banning.

Additional crews were responding to assist 138 firefighters who were fighting the fire on the ground. They were being aided by four air tankers and two helicopters, the Riverside County Fire Department said.

Fire commanders were requesting that the California Highway Patrol shut down California Highway 243 at Wesley Street, officials said.

The temperature was 94 degrees and the relative humidity wa 14% when the blaze broke out about 5 p.m.

ALSO:

Attorney defends Fullerton officers in death of homeless man

Vernon pays $500,000 to ex-official who pleaded guilty to corruption

Metal shanks hidden in cake leads to tighter security at Sacramento murder trial

-- Robert J. Lopez

twitter.com/LAJourno

Image: Map shows the area where the brush fire was burning.

Credit: Google Maps

 

Fullerton official urges police chief to quit over homeless death

One Fullerton City Council member called for the police chief's resignation Wednesday, criticizing the Police Department for refusing to answer questions about the death of a homeless man who died after a violent struggle with six police officers last month.

A second council member said he also was troubled by the lack information coming from police and urged that officials share what they know with the public.

"This, I think, historically is the most tragic thing that has happened in Fullerton, the biggest crisis," said Councilwoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, who Wednesday formally asked City Manager Joe Felz to call on the chief to resign. "That means you’re out front, giving the public what information you can give."

At Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, hundreds of angry citizens jammed into the overflowing council chambers, criticizing police for the death of Kelly Thomas, 37, and demanding that the city explain what happened. Many pointed their fingers at Chief Michael Sellers.

Caterpillar Inc. to pay $2.55 million penality [Updated]

Manufacturing company Caterpillar Inc. will pay a $2.55-million penalty and recall 925 engines that failed to meet emission control standards under the Clean Air Act, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice, which settled with the company last week.

The EPA said the company did not report emission controls or correctly label the engines built between 2001-2005. Failing to comply with emission controls allows engines to release excess nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and other air pollutants that cause respiratory illness and aggravate asthma. 

"The enforcement of vehicle emissions standards, labeling and reporting requirements is critical to protecting the air we breathe and ensuring that companies play by the rules,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. The “settlement will protect public health and create a level playing field for companies that meet their environmental obligations.”

Of the $2.55-million fine, Caterpillar will pay $2.04 million to the U.S. government and $510,000 to California for the sale of improperly configured engines in the state, the EPA said.

Climate change and health: How vulnerable is your city?

As temperatures rise, so could the threats to your health.

Climate experts predict average temperatures in California could rise between 4.7 to 10.5 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of this century, potentially worsening illnesses related to extreme heat and air pollution, according to Natural Resources Defense Council, which released web-based climate change impact maps Wednesday.

The maps forecast the average number of days likely to spread infectious diseases, such as dengue fever, and when people might suffer from extreme heat, unhealthful air pollution, as well as flooding and droughts. Residents may also use the site to find out more about their city’s strategy to prepare for the effects of climate change and tips to mitigate the effects of unhealthy days.

“Climate change is one of the most serious public health threats in the 21st century,” said Kim Knowlton, NRDC senior scientist. Knowlton said warmer weather can exacerbate smog and ragweed pollen, threatening those suffering from allergies, respiratory problems and asthma.

“We need to start connecting the dots between climate change and our health,” Knowlton said. “It’s time we make it a personal, national priority.”

Reader photos: Southern California Moments, Day 215

 

Which way to L.A.? For the first week of August, we're challenging readers to go mobile. Heidi Knack takes a cellphone snapshot of a collection of signs off California Highway 62 between Palm Springs and the Arizona border May 15.

Every day of 2011, we're featuring reader-submitted photos of Southern California Moments. For the first week of August, we challenge you to go mobile. Follow us on Twitter and visit the Southern California Moments homepage for more on this series.

Man held in Ontario on suspicion of possessing child pornography

Ontario police have arrested a man on suspicion of possessing child pornography after he allegedly picked up DVDs with the illicit material at a local post office, authorities said Wednesday.

Police also allegedly found two loaded firearms and written material on how to seduce and sexually assault a child inside David Richard Weller's sport utility vehicle..

Weller, 47, apparently had been living out of the black, 1993 Nissan Pathfinder, according to a statement released by police spokesman Sgt. David McBride.

Inspectors with the U.S. Postal Service alerted Ontario police about the material that Weller picked up from a post office on East Hold Boulevard.

Vernon pays $500,000 to ex-official who pleaded guilty to corruption

The city of Vernon this week paid $500,000 to a former city administrator who last month pleaded guilty to felony corruption charges involving questionable business deals between the city and his wife.

The payment was made to close out the remaining time on the contract of Donal O'Callaghan, who was placed on leave last year after The Times revealed that he had overseen his wife’s hiring as a city contractor. L.A. prosecutors later charged him with conflict of interest and misappropriation of public funds.

O'Callaghan had demanded $1.2 million from the city, and the $500,000 settlement prevented a potentially messy courtroom fight occurring as state lawmakers are considering whether to disband the embattled city.

“The city approached this situation in an entirely rational fashion,” said David Schindler, the outside attorney representing Vernon. “It made an intelligent business decision that was in the best interest of the city.”

O'Callaghan's contract, which was obtained by The Times through a Public Records Act Request, included a special provision preventing Vernon from terminating him with cause unless he was convicted of a “felony involving moral turpitude.”

But Schindler said he wasn’t certain the city could successfully litigate the case had O'Callaghan sued, saying it was far from clear that a violation of state conflict-of-interest codes amounted to "moral turpitude."

Calculating the Real Age of Your Dog

Most people think that one dog year equals seven human years. But according to WebMD, your dog’s real age is not that simple.

Dogs mature more quickly than children in the first couple of years. So the first year of a dog’s life is equal to about 15 human years, rather than seven.

Size and breed also influence the rate at which a dog ages. Although smaller dogs tend to live longer than larger dogs, they may mature more quickly in the first few years of life. A large dog may mature more slowly at first but already be considered elderly at age 5. Small and toy breeds don’t become “seniors” until around age 10. Medium-size breeds are somewhere in the middle in terms of maturation and life span.

To find out how old your dog really is, check out WebMD’s dog age calculation chart, which estimates your dog’s equivalent human age based on how old it is and whether it is a small, medium or large breed.

Long Beach police investigate assaults on gay men

Police in Long Beach are investigating three incidents in the last two weeks in which gay men were assaulted in the city’s Broadway Corridor, a neighborhood known for its tight-knit gay and lesbian community.

The suspect in one case has been charged with a hate crime while the others are still under investigation, said police spokesman Rico Fernandez.

“We don’t believe any of these three are connected in any way,” Fernandez said. “We just think it’s a coincidence that three incidents happened relatively close to each other.”

The first incident was reported just before 6 p.m. on July 24 near a popular gay bar on Falcon Avenue and Broadway.

In that case, Fernandez said, a man allegedly approached another man on the street and asked if he was gay. When the second man said yes, he was attacked and beaten.

A suspect, Jorge Jhovanoy Ibarrias, 21, was arrested and charged with felony battery in addition to a hate crime. He has pleaded not guilty, said Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Jerry Brown signs school safety law prompted by abortion protest

Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed into law a measure sought by the Los Angeles school district that toughens the penalties for creating a disturbance near a campus, addressing controversy over an anti-abortion demonstration.

Assemblyman Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) said he wrote the measure in response to a March 2003 incident in which graphic images of an aborted fetus were mounted on a vehicle and driven past a middle school in Rancho Palos Verdes.

"Because of the disturbing nature of the photographs, some students at the scene became angry, some began to cry, and others stared while standing in the street creating a traffic safety hazard,’’ Mendoza said.

The bill was signed three years after a federal court found that the 1st Amendment rights of anti-abortion activists were violated when they were ordered to stop circling Dodson Middle School in a truck with billboard-sized photos of aborted fetuses.

The intent of the new law was questioned by Robert Muise, an attorney for the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, the group that staged the 2003 demonstration outside the school but was stopped by school officials and Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies.

"I think it's meaningless,’’ Muise said. "If they pass this in a way to prevent the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform from engaging in peaceful demonstrations on public streets they are not going to win that fight.’’

Muise said the demonstrators were not acting in a way to threaten students.

The legislation, which takes effect Jan. 1, creates a new misdemeanor crime for creating a disturbance on or next to an elementary or middle school campus where the action threatens the physical safety of students.

ALSO:

Richard Neutra's Kronish House gets a reprieve

Jaycee Dugard case: Videos show chilling picture of kidnappers

Buying that bunny or turtle on an L.A. street may be outlawed

-- Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento

Death of woman found in burned-out garage in Pasadena still a mystery

Authorities are still investigating the identity and cause of death of a woman found at a burned-out garage in Pasadena two days after the building burned.

The woman’s body was found by a private arson investigator who was probing the scene Tuesday, police said. It was not clear why fire crews did not find the victim when responding to the early morning blaze, which occurred Sunday in the 100 block of South San Marino Avenue.

Coroner’s investigators are still trying to determine the victim’s identity and the cause of death, officials said Wednesday.

A statement from the Pasadena Police Department released Tuesday evening called the death “suspicious.” Police said Wednesday the investigation was still ongoing and no new information was available.

ALSO:

Attorney defends Fullerton officers in death of homeless man

Vernon pays $500,000 to ex-official who pleaded guilty to corruption

Metal shanks hidden in cake leads to tighter security at Sacramento murder trial

-- Kate Mather

Map: Shows approximate location of incident in black and recent crime reports in brown. Credit: Crime L.A.

Costa Mesa may use E-Verify to check immigration status of prospective workers

The city of Costa Mesa is researching whether it can use a federal program to verify the immigration status of prospective city employees.

At a City Council meeting Tuesday night, the council unanimously agreed to direct staff to look into the program at the request of Mayor Gary Monahan.

During his campaign to thwart illegal immigration in the city, former Mayor Allan Mansoor, now a representative in the state Assembly, had pushed for Costa Mesa to use the federal E-Verify program to check immigration documents of prospective city employees and prospective employees of local businesses.

The strategy was first adopted in Arizona, but some Inland Empire cities -– including Temecula, Murrieta, Lake Sleinore and Norco –- began requiring all businesses to check the legal status of new workers through E-Verify, a free online database run by the federal government that allows employers to determine the immigration status of their workers.

Some critics have said that the program is not reliable.

RELATED:

Outsourcing jail could save Costa Mesa $600,000, report says 

Huntington Beach may share costs with Costa Mesa, Newport Beach

Costa Mesa racks up legal bills; councilwoman blames new colleagues

-- Joseph Serna

Photo: Members of the Costa Mesa City Council listen to public commentary at a budget meeting on May 17. Credit: Dan Krauss / For The Times

Metal shanks hidden in cake leads to tighter security at Sacramento murder trial

Security at the Sacramento trial of two brothers accused of murdering a state prison officer will be increased after a pretrial hearing revealed the brothers had tried to pass shanks concealed in a chocolate frosting-covered cake through the downtown jail where they are being held.

The Sacramento Bee reported that sheriff's Sgt. Dan Morrisey testified at a Tuesday security hearing that Chong Vue had the yellow cake in his cell and asked a deputy to take it to his younger brother, Gary, who was held in another section of the jail.

"When they opened that cake up, there were several metal pieces," Morrisey said told the paper, adding that the pieces were from a cookie sheet that was missing from the kitchen.

Chong Vue's cell was then searched, as well as other cells in the jail, Morrisey said. Twenty-four "different pieces of metal" were found that "were in the process of being moved and turned into shanks," he said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Eric Kindall said the incident "sounds like something right out of the movies."

The testimony from Morrisey and another jail deputy prompted Sacramento Superior Court Judge Steve White to increase security on the brothers, whose trial began Wednesday with jury selection. The Vues will be chained at the waist and ankle during the trial, though the chains will be covered so jurors can't see or hear them. The brothers can also be strip-searched each day before entering the court room to make sure they have no weapons, White said.

Officials had also requested that the defendants be handcuffed, but White tentatively decided that each brother be allowed to keep one hand free to write.

Chong Vue, 32, and Gary Vue, 31, are accused of shooting and killing Steve Lo, 39, at his Sacramento home in October 2008, just as Lo was leaving for his job as a state correction officer at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville.

Prosecutors said the two were carrying out a hit taken out by their older brother, Chue Vue, 46, a former Sacramento sheriff's deputy. Chue Vue had discovered his wife was having an affair with Lo and retained his brothers to kill him, prosecutors say.

Chue Vue has already been convicted for arranging the murder of Lo. He is currently serving a sentence of life without parole.

The younger Vues, Chong and Gary, have previously been convicted of a gang murder in Minnesota. If they are convicted again in the Lo killing, they too will face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

ALSO:

Richard Neutra's Kronish House gets a reprieve

Dentist who killed 3 patients released from prison

One killed, six injured in car crash on Pacific Coast Highway

-- Kate Mather

Amy Winehouse and the Perils of Alcohol Withdrawal

The sudden death of singer Amy Winehouse last month has cast light on a little known problem: the dangers of alcohol withdrawal.

The cause of the singer’s death is still unknown. But Ms. Winehouse’s family has said she tried to quit drinking, leading to speculation that alcohol withdrawal may have played a role in her demise.

While it may sound surprising that efforts to stop drinking could be harmful, addiction experts say such a scenario is “highly possible.’’

“I hope the message that can come from this is how dangerous unsupervised alcohol withdrawal can be,’’ said Dr. Harry Haroutunian, physician director of the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif. “About half the people who come off steady and regular alcohol use will have some manifestation of the syndrome. People should seek medical advice.’’

Why is alcohol withdrawal so dangerous? In regular and heavy drinkers, the body compensates for the depressive effect of alcohol by ramping up production of a number of hormones and brain chemicals, such as serotonin, epinephrine and dopamine. When a person suddenly stops drinking alcohol, the body becomes flooded with an abnormally high level of those chemicals.

“Alcohol chronically consumed in high quantities is like pressing down on a coiled spring,’’ said Dr. Haroutunian. “When you abruptly stop drinking, you release that force and the spring goes ‘Pow!’ There is this massive unopposed excitatory chemical release which affects all areas of the body.”

Alcohol withdrawal can produce a range of minor to serious effects, which can occur within a few hours or days after the last drink. Minor symptoms, which can begin six to 12 hours after the last drink, include insomnia, tremors, heart palpitations, nausea, sweating and upset stomach. Patients can experience hallucinations, in which they see, hear or feel things that aren’t there, 12 to 24 hours after the last drink.

Severe complications can include dehydration, vomiting, abnormal heart rhythms and a condition called delirium tremens, or D.T.’s, which have about a 15 percent fatality rate. Considered a medical emergency, delirium tremens is characterized by confusion, delirium and seizures and can occur 24 to 48 hours after the last drink. Unattended, patients can suffer head injuries, lethal dehydration, heart attack or stroke or aspirate on their own vomit.

“Alcohol withdrawal is one of the most fatal complications of all drugs,’’ said Dr. Haroutunian.

According to a 2004 review in the journal American Family Physician, about 226,000 patients are discharged from hospitals annually with a condition related to alcohol withdrawal. However, because only 10 to 20 percent of patients undergoing alcohol withdrawal are treated at hospitals, it’s possible that as many as 2 million Americans experience symptoms of alcohol withdrawal each year, according to the report.

The people at highest risk for complications from alcohol withdrawal are those who drink frequently to excess and then routinely go through their own version of detox.

“College students do it all the time after a binge,’’ said Dr. Haroutunian. “Some people don’t even realize what is happening. Maybe they are a regular two or three martini drinker, they stop for the weekend or for Lent, and they start to get agitated, restless and irritable. They take those symptoms to the doctor and mistakenly get diagnosed with anxiety.”

The most severe form of alcohol withdrawal, delirium tremens, is most common in people who have experienced alcohol withdrawal in the past. It’s also more common on those who drink excessively every day for several months, or those who have had an alcohol habit for more than 10 years.

Many patients can be treated for alcohol withdrawal without being admitted to the hospital. Doctors may prescribe intravenous fluid or supplements if the patient has become dehydrated. Treatment also may include benzodiazepine drugs, which counter the effects of certain neurotransmitters that excite the body.

Police searching for man who exposed himself to female janitor

Police are still searching for a man who exposed himself to a female janitor inside a Cal Poly Pomona campus bathroom.

The janitor had entered the men’s bathroom Thursday afternoon to clean it, authorities said. The suspect appeared suddenly, forcing the employee against a stall, exposing himself and then asking for a sexual favor. Police believe he was startled by a noise outside, causing him to run off.

The suspect is described as a 40-year-old black man, about 6 feet tall and 360 pounds, with three skull tattoos across his chest, authorities said. He had bloodshot eyes and yellow teeth, including a missing upper right tooth.

Campus police ask anyone with information to call investigators at (909) 869-3070, or anonymously at (909) 869-3399.

ALSO:

Richard Neutra's Kronish House gets a reprieve

One killed, six injured in car crash on Pacific Coast Highway

Huntington Beach may share costs with Costa Mesa, Newport Beach

-- Robert Faturechi

Warmer temperatures to expand California exotic grass populations

Warmer temperatures in California could lead to a substantial statewide expansion of exotic grass populations, according to a new study that catalogued over 400 native and exotic grasses in the state.

Researchers from UC Berkeley say exotic grasses dry out faster than native varieties, making the state more vulnerable to wildfires. Exotic grasses also hold pathogens that attack crops, such as wheat, or affect people who eat beef from cows that graze on exotic species. They also compete with native grasses for water.

“As climate changes in the coming century, which at this point is quite certain, this means we expect the distributions of the grasses to change as well,” said David Ackerly, a UC Berkeley professor of integrative biology and the inspiration behind the study. “Sadly, what this predicts is that the alien species that already dominate the Central Valley and other hotter regions of the state will become even more widespread in the future.”

Since 2008 Ackerly has studied functional ecology, which measures the role plants play in the ecosystem and how those roles may alter with climate change. Functional ecology is being used to predict the consequences of global warming in California, which models predict will be between 2.2 and 5.8 degrees warmer by 2100.

“Over the next century, changes in the global climate are expected to have major consequences for plant communities, possibly including the exacerbation of species invasions,” the study said. 

Son of ex-Bermuda premier on trial for allegedly assaulting patients

An undercover Los Angeles Police Department officer testified this week that she was assaulted by Dr. Kevin Brown, a prominent South Los Angeles doctor facing charges of sexually assaulting dozens of female patients, including a 15-year-old.

The officer, outfitted with surveillance equipment, visited Brown's Crenshaw Boulevard office in June 2008 posing as a patient.

In an audio recording played back in court, Officer Stacey Young and Brown can be heard talking about her chronic ankle injury, a condition Young said she developed after years of playing tennis.

Young said that when Brown finished examining her ankle, she thought the doctor "did a great job" and that the exam seemed "very normal."

As she prepared to leave, however, she said Brown conducted another exam to check her ears and throat.

That's when the doctor suddenly lifted her shirt and bra, and held her left breast in her hand, she testified.

"It was extremely quick," she said, adding that she immediately pushed him off and he tried to apologize.

After she left the office, Young could be heard in the audio recording telling other officers by phone, and later in person, about the incident.

Her testimony followed the testimony of other women who claim they had been assaulted or inappropriately touched by Brown when they came to him for treatment.

The trial began last week for the physician, the son of the former premier of Bermuda. He was known for organizing charity fundraisers at the Playboy Mansion.

Prosecutors say Brown, 40, assaulted almost a dozen female patients, including the undercover officer. Brown allegedly molested the patients under the guise of unnecessary breast and pelvic exams over a two-year period, beginning in 2003.

His 2008 arrest came after several women contacted authorities and accused Brown of sexually battering or raping them during those examinations, Deputy Dist. Atty. Ann Marie Wise said.

Brown has pleaded not guilty to 33 felony sex charges and could face life in prison if convicted on all counts.

The state is also investigating Brown in "multiple healthcare fraud schemes and over prescription of Oxycodone," according to court documents. He has not been charged in connection with that inquiry.

At the time of his arrest, Brown was free on bail for a previous sexual assault arrest.

Brown once operated the now-defunct Urban Health Institute of Los Angeles. The charity, which was run out of the same building as Brown's practice, sought to provide disaster relief in the United States, South America and throughout Africa.

Founded by Brown, the institute had held fundraisers at the Playboy mansion that featured celebrities such as Khloe Kardashian, Don Cheadle, Shannon Elizabeth and Hugh Hefner.

The officer's testimony will resume Wednesday morning.

ALSO:

Repo men attacked in Costa Mesa

Jaycee Dugard case: Videos show chilling picture of kidnappers

Buying that bunny or turtle on an L.A. street may be outlawed

-- Ricardo Lopez

Photo: Dr. Kevin Brown, left, with his attorney, Blair Berk, at a hearing in Los Angeles in 2008. Credit: Nick Ut / Associated Press

Man killed after fall at sewage treatment plant identified

A man who died after falling about 30 feet while working at a city sewage treatment plant near Los Angeles International Airport was identified Wednesday.

Edgar Alejandro Gonzalez, 30, of Tujunga was pronounced dead Tuesday afternoon at the Hyperion Treatment Plant in Playa del Rey, according to fire and coroner’s officials.

Gonzalez, who worked for a private contractor, was doing framing work when he fell from a wall, officials said.

His death is being investigated by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

-- Paloma Esquivel

Dentist who killed 3 patients released from prison

A former Costa Mesa dentist convicted of killing three people in his chair in the 1980s was released from Folsom State Prison on Tuesday, his attorney said.

The Daily Pilot reports that Tony Protopappas, 66, was headed home with his brother after serving 26 years of a 15-years-to-life prison sentence, according to Protopappas' attorney, Rich Pfeiffer.

Protopappas was convicted on three counts of second-degree murder for giving lethal amounts of a general anesthetic to Kim Andreassen, 23, Cathryn Jones, 31, and Patricia Craven, 13.  Protopappas was using narcotics heavily at the time and was not licensed to administer the drug, according to Daily Pilot archives.

Protopappas was set to be released last year, but then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger blocked the parole board's recommendation.

ALSO:

Two sought in Fashion District sexual assault

Repo men attacked in Costa Mesa

Man allegedly stabs girlfriend who refused him $20 as kids watch

--Lauren Williams, Times Community News

One killed, six injured in car crash on Pacific Coast Highway

A car crashed on Pacific Coast Highway just after midnight Wednesday, killing one person and injuring six others, authorities said.

The cause of the single-car wreck at 16000 Pacific Coast Highway near Temescal Canyon is being investigated. One passenger, a 30-year-old man, was killed.

Three others were critically injured: two women, 27 and 18, and a 1-year-old baby boy, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott.

Three other passengers suffered minor injuries, he said.

ALSO:

Two sought in Fashion District sexual assault

Repo men attacked in Costa Mesa

Man allegedly stabs girlfriend who refused him $20 as kids watch

-- Robert Faturechi

Photo: Investigators at the scene of an accident where a car slammed into a pole on Pacific Coast Highway early Wednesday morning and burst into flames, killing a man and injuring six other people. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

2 arrested in heist of 40-50 luxury watches from Costa Mesa shop

Two men who may have been involved in a Tuesday morning heist at a Costa Mesa watch store were arrested in Huntington Beach, officials said.

About 11:48 a.m., Costa Mesa police responded to a robbery alarm at the Watch Connection, 3033 Bristol St., where two suspects wearing ski masks had reportedly made off with 40 to 50 high-priced watches. Police said the suspects entered the store after smashing their way through the glass front door, which was locked. They also smashed glass display cases inside the store to get the items, according to a release issued late Tuesday by Costa Mesa police.

Police believe the noise made by smashing the glass may have been mistaken for gunshots, according to the Daily Pilot.

The suspects were later arrested in Huntington Beach, police said. They were "initially arrested for suspicion of robbery as part of this investigation," the news release said, noting that two Airsoft replica handguns were found with the suspects. Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact Sgt. Ed Everett at (714) 754-5395 or Det. Scott Stafford at (714) 754-5363.

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-- Imran Vittachi, Times Community News

Buying that bunny or turtle on an L.A. street may be outlawed

There's a lot for sale in downtown L.A.'s Fashion District, where shoppers brave crowds to hunt cheap fabric and knock-off jeans, shoes and purses.

On some street corners, other bargains are advertised in crowded plastic cages.

The sidewalk sale of small turtles, birds and bunnies is an underground sales sector that has gotten out of hand, city officials say. On Wednesday they will consider a new law that would make buying such animals illegal.

The proposed law, which must be approved by the Los Angeles City Council, calls for penalties of $250 for the first violation, $500 for the second violation and $1,000 for the third.

Officials hope it will help dissuade shoppers from buying the animals, many of which are malnourished and too young when they're taken away from their mothers to be sold at Santee Alley downtown, or in Chinatown or Venice Beach.

The proposed ordinance comes at a time when state lawmakers have also sought to stiffen the penalties against illegal animal vendors.

Last week, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law that bans the sale of animals on street corners and sets tougher penalties for those convicted of animal abuse or cruelty.

-- Kate Linthicum