Monday, October 17, 2011

Weight Loss Surgery Benefits Entire Family

Having gastric bypass surgery has a ripple effect that causes family members to lose weight, eat better and exercise more, a new study shows.

The research found that spouses, relatives and even the children of patients who underwent the procedure dropped significant amounts of weight, doubled their activity levels and had other improvements that were still evident a year after the surgery. The findings suggest that doctors who perform gastric bypass operations may want to look at the procedure as a way to bring about change in entire families in need of help with their weight and exercise habits, said Dr. John Morton, the director of bariatric surgery at the Stanford School of Medicine and an author of the study, which appeared in The Archives of Surgery.

“If you have a committed and involved family,” he said, “you’re going to have better outcomes for the patient, and also by the same token, the family members can have a collateral benefit.”

Every year, about 200,000 people undergo the most common gastric bypass operation, known as Roux-en-Y. Patients typically see significant weight loss and improvements in overall health, but researchers hadn’t really looked at whether the changes could affect other members of a patient’s household. Dr. Morton got the idea for the new study when he noticed that his bypass patients would often come in for follow-up visits alongside family members who showed improvements of their own.

“Patients would come in with their spouses, and in the course of them telling me how great everything was, the spouse would say, ‘I’ve lost weight too, and we’re eating healthier,’” he said.

Social support can be a powerful motivator in breaking bad habits. Studies have shown, for example, that people tend to lose more weight — and keep it off longer — when they take part in weight loss groups or start a diet with a husband or wife. Smokers, too, are nearly 70 percent more likely to give up cigarettes if a spouse quits smoking.

To find out whether gastric bypass could have a similar effect, Dr. Morton and several researchers, including Dr. Gavitt Woodard, recruited 35 people preparing to undergo the procedure and followed them and their families for a year. Only family members who lived with the patients, including their children, were included in the study. Family members were asked to accompany the patients to all of their counseling sessions: three that occurred before the surgery, and five that took place in the year after. At the sessions, the subjects learned about portion control and were encouraged to eat meals high in protein and fiber and low in fat and sugar. They were also encouraged to exercise and cut back on alcohol and television.

A year after the surgery, the patients, who had all been morbidly obese at the start, had lost an average of 100 pounds and went from body mass indexes of 48.7 to 33.3. Their adult spouses and family members who were overweight, meanwhile, had lost an average of about 10 pounds and saw their B.M.I.’s drop from 38 to 36.3, which is on par with controlled medical weight loss trials. The obese children in the study saw their waist sizes drop several inches, though their B.M.I.’s did not change very much because they were growing and getting taller.

“The kids were on a steeper trajectory for higher B.M.I. before the parent’s surgery,” Dr. Morton said. “At the end of one year, that slope was less.”

The researchers also saw other beneficial changes in the young and adult family members. They watched less television, exercised more and reported fewer instances of uncontrollable and emotional eating. The adults drank significantly less alcohol, going from an average of 11 drinks a month down to just one. Dr. Morton said it was clear bariatric surgery could be an opportunity for intervention for many people beyond the patient.

“Obesity is a family disease,” he said, “and we do need to treat everyone involved and start thinking about bariatric surgery as a platform for change.”

Do You Need a Fitness Coach?

In the latest Personal Best column, Gina Kolata writes about her own experience with a personal running coach, and why some people prefer to go it alone.

It certainly is possible to train without a coach. The principles of training are well known, and widely available online, in podcasts and in the many books that have been written on training for various sports. Some who have used self-training programs say they are remarkably effective.

My colleague Henry Fountain, for example, hated running when he tried it 25 years ago. Last winter, though, he began training with a podcast that is supposed to train sedentary people to run 5 kilometers, or 3.1 miles.

“It was revolutionary,” he told me. Now he runs about three times a week and occasionally competes in 5K races.

Yet, as might be expected, coaches say their individual attention can make a real difference in a person’s performance.

If you are trying to train on your own, “the struggle will always be to maintain objectivity,” said Terrance Mahon, who coaches elite runners. That’s one reason a coach is needed, he added.

To learn more, read the full article, “I’m Keeping My Coach, but You May Not Need One,’‘ and then please join the discussion below.

Marines return to Twentynine Palms from Afghanistan

Wait2Amid tears, flag-waving and shouts of joy from family members and other well-wishers, Marines of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Regiment returned Monday to the base at Twentynine Palms.

The battalion saw three Marines killed and dozens wounded during a seven-month deployment to Helmand province in southern Afghanistan on the border with Pakistan.

Commandant Gen. James Amos, his wife, Bonnie, and Sgt.-Major Michael Barrett-- the top enlisted man in the Marine Corps -- were on base to welcome the Three-Four.

Although the Three-Four is now home, another battalion from Twentynine Palms, the Two-Seven, has just arrived in Afghanistan to relieve the One-Five from Camp Pendleton.

Marines will be in Afghanistan, the commandant said, "until the job is done."

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: Marine and daughter reunited at Twentynine Palms. Credit: Lance Cpl. Sarah Dietz / Marine Corps

Dense fog advisory issued; motorists urged to drive safely

The National Weather Service on Monday night issued a dense-fog advisory for Los Angeles County cities, warning that visibility could be reduced to less than a quarter-mile.

The fog was expected to roll into inland areas including downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood late Monday and early Tuesday but would be most dense in coastal areas from Malibu to Long Beach, the Weather Service said.

"Roadways along the coast will likely be impacted," the agency said in a statement. "Motorists are advised to slow down and use low beam headlights."

Later Tuesday, high pressure is expected to result in above-normal temperatures for the Los Angeles area before giving way to cooler weather Wednesday.

ALSO:

Seal Beach police release 911 calls from salon shooting

L.A. county inmate says she had sexual contact with deputy

Kayaker has close encounter with blue whale near Redondo Beach

— Robert J. Lopez

twitter.com/LAJourno

Text messages help expose LAX marijuana smuggling ring

Photo: A view of the entrance sign on Century Blvd. at LAX Airport. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times
Authorities have reveal text messages used by two people involved in an alleged marijuana smuggling ring at Los Angeles International Airport.

The son of a former Los Angeles fire chief was charged Monday with bribing a federal Transportation Security Administration officer at LAX to help him smuggle about 14 pounds of marijuana past security on nine separate trips.

Millage Peaks IV, 23, admitted to FBI agents that he and his associates made the trips with the aid of a TSA officer, whom they paid nearly $6,000 in bribes to avoid detection, according to an FBI affidavit.

Peaks and TSA Officer Dianne Perez were arrested on bribery charges Sunday after what the FBI said was his most recent attempt. A baggage handler smelled marijuana in the luggage and alerted authorities, who found 14 pounds of marijuana.

UC lecturers ratify new contract with university system

A labor union representing more than 3,000 University of California lecturers has ratified a new contract with the university, officials said Monday.

The three-year agreement between UC and the University Council-American Federation of Teachers  covers wages, health benefits, retirement contributions, instructional workload and layoffs for lecturers in the 10-campus system.

Eligible lecturers will receive a 3% pay raise retroactive to Oct. 1 and will be eligible for merit increases in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

“Lecturers provide key instructional services at our campuses,” Dwaine Duckett, UC vice president of human resources, said in a statement. “We’re pleased that we’ve reached a balanced agreement that rewards the lecturers for their hard work while taking into consideration the major funding constraints that the university is experiencing.”

The contract was ratified Sunday by about 98% of voting members, said Bob Samuels, president of the union, which also represents librarians. One important clause is the ability to negotiate if the university moves to place more courses online.

“We recognize that these are difficult economic times, but we feel good about the agreement,” Samuels said.

ALSO:

Prince Harry visits tavern in San Diego County

3,000 in line for free medical care at Sports Arena

"Hannah Montana" actor Mitchel Musso arrested for alleged DUI

-- Carla Rivera

Record number of pot plants eradicated in Ventura County in 2010

A record number of marijuana plants were eradicated in 2010 by law enforcement authorities in Ventura County, officials said Monday.

The annual total included 68,488 plants eradicated from the Pine Mountain area in the Los Padres National Forest, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said -- the single largest marijuana cultivation in county history.

Authorities said they also confiscated a large amount of unregulated pesticides and herbacides that cause environmental damage. The chemicals were being used by marijuana growers.

The Sheriff's Office said it arrested 22 people on suspicion of marijuana cultivation.

ALSO:

Seal Beach police release 911 calls from salon shooting

L.A. county inmate says she had sexual contact with deputy

Kayaker has close encounter with blue whale near Redondo Beach

— Robert J. Lopez

twitter.com/LAJourno

Los Alamitos bans sex offenders from parks and playgrounds

Los Alamitos enacted a law Monday night to ban registered sex offenders from parks and playgrounds where children gather, becoming the latest municipality in Orange County to pass such an ordinance.

The ordinance will take effect 30 days after a second reading by the City Council  on Nov. 7, the Orange County district attorney's office said.

Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas said in a statement that Los Alamitos has just five registered sex offenders but added that 766 are registered in neighboring Long Beach.

"They are surrounded by dangerous sex offenders," he said of Los Alamitos.

Similar laws have been enacted by Westminster, La Habra and Irvine. The ordinances are modeled after one approved for unincorporated county areas in April by the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

ALSO:

Seal Beach police release 911 calls from salon shooting

L.A. county inmate says she had sexual contact with deputy

Kayaker has close encounter with blue whale near Redondo Beach

— Robert J. Lopez

twitter.com/LAJourno

Investors might wait to back rail project until trains are running

Photo: Shown is an artist's conception of the San Jose stop on the California high-speed rail system. Credit: California High-Speed Rail Authority
Private investors may not be willing to invest in the California bullet train project until after it begins operating, the California High-Speed Rail Authority said in a letter to key legislators, an acknowledgment that again raises serious questions about how the state is going to fund the $43-billion construction over the next decade.

The letter gives a preview of the authority’s upcoming business plan, a critical document that is supposed to address longstanding concerns that it lacks a credible plan to build and operate the system. Even supporters of the Southern California-to-San Francisco system have said the previous business plans were unrealistic in their estimates of construction costs and ridership numbers, among much else.

The business plan is expected to be filed Nov. 1 and along with a related funding plan must be approved by the Legislature before the state can issue any of the $9 billion voters approved for the project in a 2008 bond measure. The legislature has a 60-day window to approve the plans and then begin the process of committing the state to bonds that would take several decades to pay off.

The authority wants to begin building an initial segment of the rail system from south of Chowchilla to north of Bakersfield, taking the train through the Central Valley agriculture belt. That segment would cost about $6 billion, exactly what the authority would have in hand from past federal grants and matching bond funds.

Memorial held for Seal Beach victim who was shot in his Land Rover

Photo: Dave Caouette. Credit: Associated PressAbout 100 people gathered Monday evening at Patty's Place, a small but popular Seal Beach restaurant, to say goodbye to a friend, neighbor and co-worker who was killed last week simply because he was within shooting range of Salon Meritage.

Dave Caouette, 64, was one of eight people killed by accused gunman Scott Dekraai, who allegedly opened fire at the salon in a rampage that left a ninth person seriously wounded.

Caouette had been in his Land Rover, having just had lunch at Patty's Place. On Monday, buckets of yellow roses were in the parking spot where Caoette died.

Seal Beach salon shooting: The victims

Dart Downing was among those at the memorial, even though he didn't know Caouette. But Downing said he was standing about 15 feet away when Caouette was shot.

"I'm devastated," Downing said. "I don't know what to say other than tears."

The Southern California Land Rover community also turned out in force; Caouette worked at Land Rover Mission Viejo.

L.A. County inmate says she had sexual contact with deputy

Two Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were reassigned over the weekend after an inmate alleged she had sexual contact with one of them, department officials said Monday.

The deputies are with the department’s transportation detail, which takes inmates by bus between jail and court. 

The inmate said she had sexual contact with one of the deputies while the other deputy was nearby.

Full coverage: Jails under scrutiny

Commander James Hellmold said the probe was being handled by internal sheriff’s criminal investigators. He said any suspicion of sexual contact between the deputy and the inmate is currently based solely on the inmate’s account. Investigators are seeking potential witnesses and other evidence that could flesh out the veracity of the woman’s claims.

"There’s zero tolerance for inappropriate activity," Hellmold said. "Obviously that would be inappropriate for that to occur."

He would not say what type of sexual contact was alleged or whether the inmate had characterized it as consensual.

The accused deputies will remain reassigned until the investigation is complete, Hellmold said.

The allegations come as the Sheriff’s Department faces intensifying scrutiny of alleged inmate abuse and other deputy misconduct inside the largest jail system in the country.  Federal authorities are investigating a number of cases of alleged abuse, and have subpoenaed the Sheriff’s Department for a wide range of custody data, including contact information for all jail employees. The FBI went so far recently as to sneak a cellphone to an inmate informant inside of Men’s Central Jail.

The Board of Supervisors is considering commissioning an independent panel to review jail abuse allegations and suggest reforms.

ALSO:

Prince Harry visits tavern in San Diego County

3,000 in line for free medical care at Sports Arena

"Hannah Montana" actor Mitchel Musso arrested for alleged DUI

-- Robert Faturechi

 

Occupy San Diego movement dwindling to dedicated few

Occupy12
The Occupy movement in some locales is growing in numbers and energy, but the Occupy San Diego movement seems to have dwindled.

At noon Monday, only a few dozen protesters remained in the plaza behind City Hall, intermingled with the homeless. Several police officers watched the smallish crowd.

On Friday, police had forcibly removed tents, tarps and other structures from the plaza. Two men were arrested on suspicion of interfering with police.

Photos: 'Occupy' protests go global

Police have said the protesters can stay in the plaza but that their property, except for bedrolls, had to be removed because it violated a municipal ordinance about blocking public access.

Several hundred protesters took part in a downtown march Saturday. But by noon Monday only a few remained in the plaza.

"We're small in numbers but mighty in spirit," said Lorraine Lerman, who said she had been at the plaza since the protest began nine days ago.

RELATED:

Full coverage: 'Occupy' protests

'We are the 99%,' L.A. marchers chant at protest

Protests against corporate greed spread across the globe

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: Police watch the Occupy San Diego protesters at noon Monday. Credit: Tony Perry / Los Angeles Times

Seal Beach shooting: Lone survivor released from hospital

Seal-beach-memorial
The sole survivor out of nine people shot by a gunman at a Seal Beach salon last week was released from the hospital Monday, police spokesman Sgt. Steve Bowles said.

Hattie Stretz, 73, was critically injured when a gunman opened fire at the Salon Meritage last Wednesday.

The woman's daughter, Laura Elody, worked at the salon as a stylist and was one of the eight people killed in what was the deadliest shooting in Orange County history.

Seal Beach salon shooting: The victims

The alleged shooter, Scott Evans Dekraai, was arrested, and Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas has said he will seek the death penalty.

Dekraai was allegedly targeting his ex-wife, who worked at the salon. The two were embroiled in a custody dispute.

RELATED:

Suspect suffered PTSD from boat injury

Victim predicted ex-husband would kill her

Full coverage: Deadly Seal Beach shooting

-- Abby Sewell

Photo: Community comes together in Seal Beach in a massive memorial after shootings. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times 

Three Marines in San Diego ousted for sham marriages

Sham
Three Marine corporals have been given bad-conduct discharges after pleading guilty to sham marriages meant to allow a lesbian couple to receive housing allowances, the Marine Corps said Monday.

The Marines -- two men and a woman -- were assigned to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, where their courts-martial were held. The fourth person in the sham marriages is a civilian and thus untouchable by military law, officials said.

Cpl. Ashley Vice and her partner, civilian Jaime Murphy, said they needed the housing allowances so they could afford to live together in an off-base apartment "like a normal couple."

Vice and Murphy each found a male Marine willing to marry them so that they could get the $1,200 a month housing allowance meant for married Marines, officials said.

Along with the bad-conduct discharges, Vice, Cpl. Jeremiah Griffin and Cpl. Joseph Garner were each fined $5,000 fine and sentenced to confinement from three to six months. The three pleaded guilty to stealing from the government through fraud.

Even with the end of the ''don't ask/don't tell" policy banning gays and lesbians from serving openly, same-sex couples will not be eligible for married housing allowances because federal law defines marriage as between a man and woman.

Unmarried couples -- gay or straight -- are not allowed to live together in base housing.

ALSO:

Prince Harry visits tavern in San Diego County

3,000 in line for free medical care at Sports Arena

"Hannah Montana" actor Mitchel Musso arrested for alleged DUI

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: Cpl. Ashley Vice (left) and civilian Jaime Murphy. Credit: Associated Press

Reader photos: Southern California Moments Day 290

Click through for more photos of Southern California Moments.

Waiting: Alan Antiporda photographs Union Station Oct. 1.

Every day of 2011, we're featuring reader-submitted photos of Southern California Moments. Follow us on Twitter and visit the Southern California Moments homepage for more on this series.

Federal court hearing for Democratic campaign treasurer postponed

Kinde Durkee, the Burbank-based campaign treasurer being investigated for allegedly embezzling millions of dollars from clients, will not appear in federal court this week as scheduled.

The preliminary hearing on the calendar for Wednesday was pushed back to Dec. 9 under an agreement between the U.S. attorney’s office in Sacramento, Durkee and her attorney.

Lauren Horwood, a spokeswoman for U.S. Atty. Benjamin B. Wagner, said the postponement was needed to give prosecutors and Durkee’s attorney, Daniel V. Nixon, more time to examine the evidence. The stipulation says, “The government needs additional time to conclude its investigation, including reviewing, analyzing, and synthesizing materials that have been produced, and will be produced.”

She declined to say whether the evidence in the investigation was being presented to a grand jury.

Nixon could not immediately be reached for comment.

L.A. Metro gets $25 million in grants for natural gas buses

Photo: A Metro train on the Expo Line near Exposition Park and the USC campus in Los Angeles. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times
California transit agencies were among the top beneficiaries of a new round of federal grants totaling $928.5 million, officials announced Monday.

The money comes from the Federal Transit Administration’s Bus Livability, Alternatives Analysis and State of Good Repair programs.

California received more than any other state -- $126 million -- except New York, which was given more than $164 million. More than one-fourth of California’s money, the largest share, will go to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

That agency received $25 million for new buses that run on compressed natural gas and more than $9.6 million to reconfigure downtown’s Patsaouras Plaza to allow a direct connection for passengers from the El Monte Busway.

"Investing in America’s transit systems, rails, roads, ports and airports will generate tens of thousands of construction-related jobs and put more money in the pockets of working Americans," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement announcing the grant awards.

ALSO:

Prince Harry visits tavern in San Diego County

3,000 in line for free medical care at Sports Arena

"Hannah Montana" actor Mitchel Musso arrested for alleged DUI

-- Ari Bloomekatz

Photo: A Metro train on the Expo Line near Exposition Park and the USC campus in Los Angeles. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Seal Beach police release 911 calls from salon shootings

 











  The Seal Beach Police Department released seven 911 calls made during a shooting rampage last week at Salon Meritage that killed eight and seriously wounded a ninth.

The first of the calls came in at 1:21 p.m., and police said about 5 1/2 minutes later, the suspect, Scott Dekraai, was in custody, which interim Chief Robert Luman called a "tremendous" piece of police work.

The calls came in from various locations, including one from a woman whispering inside the facial room at Salon Meritage, where three people were hiding from the gunman.

Seal Beach salon shooting: The victims

Another call came from inside a nearby salon where a receptionist saw the shooting through the front window. People hid in that salon's bathroom and refused to come out.

"We do not want to leave the bathroom until the police tell us OK," the caller said.

The calls varied in intensity, with crying and, sometimes, screaming. Some callers described Dekraai, the ex-husband of Michelle Fournier, a stylist at Salon Meritage, and his white truck.

One caller told the dispatcher, "You've got to hurry up, he's still shooting."

Funerals for the victims will take place this week, Sgt. Steve Bowles said.

RELATED:

Suspect suffered PTSD from boat injury

Victim predicted ex-husband would kill her

Full coverage: Deadly Seal Beach shooting

-- Nicole Santa Cruz

Video: Tapes of 911 call to CHP that were released Friday. Credit: KTLA

L.A. County jail panel seems likely with Antonovich announcement

LA CXounty Jail
Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich announced Monday that he would appoint a retired federal judge to an independent commission examining the scope of brutality in the sheriff's jails.

He made the announcement, however, before the board has even voted to create the commission, which was proposed by Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Mark Ridley-Thomas. If Antonovich's announcement means he plans to vote in favor of establishing the proposed five-member panel, the measure will have enough votes to pass Tuesday.

The proposal for an independent commission comes in response to growing scrutiny of alleged inmate abuse and other deputy misconduct inside the county jail system. The Times has reported that the FBI is investigating several allegations of inmate beatings, including an incident in which a jail monitor said she witnessed deputies knock an inmate unconscious and then continue to beat him for two minutes.

Public concerns over the allegations gained momentum after The Times reported that the FBI sneaked a cellphone to a jail inmate who was a federal informant.

Sheriff Lee Baca initially criticized the FBI after the phone was discovered and defended his department's record in the jails, but has since said h'’s open to outside scrutiny, including a board-appointed independent panel.

The supervisors who proposed the commission said it would help restore public confidence in how the jails are run and provide a road map for reform.

"It's abundantly clear that the Sheriff's Department needs a fresh pair of eyes to help it ensure the rights of the inmates," Ridley-Thomas has said.

If the commission is approved, each supervisor would be able to appoint one member. Antonovich said his pick would be retired Federal Judge Dickran Tevrizian. Antonovich could not be reached for comment.

Earthquake: 4.0 quake strikes near Ludlow

A shallow magnitude 4.0 earthquake was reported Monday afternoon eight miles from Ludlow, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 1:05 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 0.6 miles.

According to the USGS, the epicenter was 25 miles from Bagdad, 33 miles from Twentynine Palms Base, 41 miles from Twentynine Palms and 120 miles from Los Angeles Civic Center.

In the past 10 days, there has been one earthquake magnitude 3.0 and greater centered nearby.

Read more about California earthquakes on L.A. Now.

— Ken Schwencke

Image credit: Google Maps

Sheriff Lee Baca should stay in office, supporters say at rally

Men's Centrail Jail Sept 28 2011
Several dozen people gathered Monday outside the Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles to voice their support for embattled Sheriff Lee Baca.

The group included clergy, civil rights activists, former inmates and sheriff's Explorers. Many were members of Baca's Executive Clergy Council.

The Los Angeles County jails are at the center of a widening scandal over alleged mistreatment of inmates.

The FBI is investigating the allegations of abuse and other misconduct, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California has called for Baca's resignation. The sheriff has admitted that he was out of touch with goings-on in the jail.

The clergy and activists who gathered Monday said they back Baca because of his work in the community and do not believe he should step down. They carried signs in English and Spanish, reflecting their support for the sheriff, and chanted, "He's not going anywhere! No where! No where!"

Divers search for recording device in fatal jet ski crash

Photo: Scene of the accident in San Dimas. Credit: KTLA-TV
Divers planned to spend Monday plumbing the Puddingstone Reservoir in San Dimas for a recording device that may have information about a crash between a motor boat and a jet ski that killed three women.

Deputies assigned to the Sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau-Emergency Services Detail as divers, along with Los Angeles County Lifeguard divers, are searching the water for a recording device 
that was mounted to the women's watercraft.

The boat and watercraft collided Saturday afternoon in the reservoir, located in Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park.

The women who died were all on the jet ski. They were identified by coroner's officials as Maricon Yeso, 34, of Escondido; her mother, Aurora Yeso, 59, of San Dimas; and Anesia Barba Bautista, 59, of Glendora.

They were pronounced dead at the scene. The four occupants of the motorboat were treated for injuries at hospitals and released.

Authorities have said the powerboat driver was not intoxicated. It was unclear whether the women who died had been drinking.

Officials asked anyone with information to contact the L.A. County Sheriff's Department homicide bureau at (323) 890-5500. Anonymous calls may be made to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

ALSO:

Prince Harry visits tavern in San Diego County

3,000 in line for free medical care at Sports Arena

'Hannah Montana' actor Mitchel Musso arrested for alleged DUI

-- Abby Sewell

Photo: Scene of the accident in San Dimas. Credit: KTLA-TV

Pete Rugolo, award-winning composer and arranger, dies at 95

RugoloPete Rugolo, an award-winning composer and arranger who came to prominence in the world of jazz as the chief arranger for Stan Kenton’s post-World War II band and later wrote the themes for TV’s “The Fugitive” and “Run for Your Life,” has died. He was 95.

Rugolo, who also had a recording career with his own band, died Sunday of age-related causes at a nursing facility in Sherman Oaks, said his daughter, Gina Rugolo Judd.

As a composer and the chief arranger for Kenton from 1945 to 1949, Rugolo is credited with being a major force in shaping the progressive jazz sound of the Stan Kenton Orchestra.

“Big bands of the Swing Era were on their way out, and he came along and brought this remarkable new life to that big band instrumentation,” music critic Don Heckman told The Times.

Rugolo won the DownBeat magazine poll as best arranger in 1947 -- the first of five wins as best arranger over the next seven years.

After leaving Kenton, Rugolo began a two-year stint as the musical director for Capitol Records in New York, where he was responsible for discovering and recording new acts.

“Bebop was just starting then and I signed all the bebop players for Capitol,” he recalled in a 1993 Times interview. “When their stars would come to New York -- Peggy Lee, Mel Torme -- it was up to me to record them.”

Among the artists Rugolo signed was Miles Davis, and he produced the famous “Birth of the Cool” sessions with Davis’ group.

Off-road racer Rick Huseman among three killed in plane crash

Plane crash and Rick Huseman

Professional off-road racer Rick Huseman was among three killed when a small plane crashed before it could attempt an emergency landing in Barstow.

The Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft, which was traveling from North Las Vegas to Corona, crashed Sunday afternoon about five miles from the Barstow-Doggett airport, authorities said.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department had not identified the three passengers aboard the plane, but Huseman's website carried a message saying Huseman and his brother, Jeff, were killed in the crash.

Friends and fans left condolence messages on Huseman's Facebook page, which credits his "winning attitude and an innovative approach to his racing strategy" for his success, including several championships.

ALSO:

Officials try to re-create jet ski crash that killed 3 women

Ventura police officer apparently kills himself while on duty

Rally to support Sheriff Baca planned outside Men's Central Jail

-- Rick Rojas

Photos: Scene of Barstow plane crash; Rick Huseman, inset. Credit: KTLA-TV

Earthquake hits near Julian, registers magnitude of 3.1

A shallow, magnitude-3.1 earthquake was reported Monday morning 12 miles from Julian, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 10:33 a.m. at a depth of five miles.

According to the USGS, the epicenter was 14 miles from Pine Valley, 17 miles from Borrego Springs, 40 miles from Escondido and 46 miles from San Diego.

In the past 10 days, there have been five earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.

Read more about California earthquakes on L.A. Now.

— Ken Schwencke

Image: Map shows the quake's epicenter. Credit: Google Maps

Really? The Claim: Yoga Can Help Manage Pain

THE FACTS

For many people, yoga is more than just exercise: Studies show it is one of the most commonly used forms of alternative therapy in the country. Many rely on yoga to relieve chronic and acute pain.

The reasons for this are varied. Some researchers believe that yoga may alleviate pain through relaxation and the release of endorphins. Others say it may reduce inflammation and promote positive emotions.

Plenty of studies have tried to determine whether taking up yoga can actually help lessen pain. In a recent report, a team of researchers sifted through the science and identified 10 randomized clinical trials on the subject involving hundreds of patients.

The studies looked at yoga’s effect on pain stemming from ailments like arthritis, low back problems, pregnancy symptoms and migraines. The control conditions were standard treatments and exercise, diet and lifestyle changes.

Nine out of the 10 clinical trials found yoga could help provide relief from pain, which the authors called “encouraging.” But they also noted that no definitive conclusion could be reached, for a number of reasons.

The studies involved patients experiencing pain from a wide variety of conditions, and they looked at several types of yoga that had some similarities, like breathing, stretching and relaxation exercises — but also many differences. Complicating matters was that the intensity, amount of time and frequency of the yoga sessions differed from one study to the next.

While the evidence suggests that yoga has the potential to alleviate pain, they wrote, the science is not firm enough to say for certain.

THE BOTTOM LINE

A review of the research on yoga suggests that it may have some usefulness in relieving pain, but more research is needed.

Partially burned body found buried in abandoned lot

Buried body in Norwalk
L.A. County sheriff's detectives are investigating the death of a woman whose partially burned body was discovered buried in an abandoned lot in Norwalk over the weekend.

A jogger notified authorities after noticing a foul smell coming from a patch of ground near an abandoned home Saturday morning on the 11000 block of Norwalk Boulevard, KTLA reported.

Investigators found the woman's body in a shallow grave. They believe the body had been left there within the past few days.

Coroner's officials have not been able to identify the woman or determine a cause of death. An autopsy was pending Monday.

ALSO:

Officials try to re-create jet ski crash that killed 3 women

Ventura police officer apparently kills himself while on duty

Rally to support Sheriff Baca planned outside Men's Central Jail

-- Abby Sewell

Photo: Scene where body was found buried in Norwalk. Credit: KTLA-TV

Crime alerts for Beverly Grove, Larchmont and five other L.A. neighborhoods

Crime reports are up significantly for the latest week in seven L.A. neighborhoods,     to an analysis of LAPD data by the Los Angeles Times’ Crime L.A. database.

Three neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. Beverly Grove (A) was the most unusual, recording five reports compared with a weekly average of 1.3 over the last three months.

Larchmont (D) topped the list of four neighborhoods with property crime alerts. It recorded 10 property crimes compared with its weekly average of 4.5 over the last three months.

Alerts are based on an analysis of crime reports for Oct. 7–Oct. 13, the most recent seven days for which data are available.

Ben Welsh, Thomas Suh Lauder

Elizabeth Taylor remembered by celebrity friends at private service

Elizabeth Taylor star after her death
Some 400 people, including many famous friends, gathered in a theater at the Warner Bros. studio lot in Burbank to remember the illustrious life and career of Elizabeth Taylor.

Actors Colin Farrell and Michael Caine and singer Elton John joined family and friends in the service memorializing the Oscar-winning actress, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Taylor died of congestive heart failure in Los Angeles in March.

Mike Nichols, director of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" -- the film for which Taylor won her second Academy Award -- put together a video message that was played at the service.

John performed "Blue Eyes" -- Taylor was famous for her piercing violet eyes -- and one of her grandchildren, Rhys Tivey, played "Amazing Grace" on the trumpet.

ALSO:

PHOTOS: Elizabeth Taylor | 1932-2011

Officials try to re-create jet ski crash that killed 3 women

Ventura police officer apparently kills himself while on duty

-- Rick Rojas

Photo: Elizabeth Taylor's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame after her death. Credit: Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times    

School board member admits hiding marriage to convicted murderer

A Fontana school board member admitted she lied on her campaign application about her marriage to a convicted murdered, a newspaper reported Monday.

The San Bernardino Sun reported that Fontana Unified School District vice chairwoman Leticia Garcia met her husband, Jason Garcia, in 2001 while he was incarcerated and she was working on a project for a criminology class. They married in 2002.

But in her application to run for school board last year, Leticia Garcia wrote that the marriage had ended in divorce. She told the Sun she felt it was time to come clean after her husband was released from prison Sept. 30.

Officials try to re-create jet ski crash that killed 3 women

Frank G. Bonelli Park
The names of the three women who died in a San Dimas boat crash were released Monday.

The women were killed Saturday afternoon when their jet ski crashed into a 21-foot powerboat in Puddingstone Reservoir at Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park, injuring four others.

The women were identified as Maricon Yeso, 34, of Escondido; her mother, Aurora Yeso, 59, of San Dimas; and Anesia Barba Bautista, 59, of Glendora.

They were pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver and three occupants of the motor boat were treated for injuries at hospitals and released, according to a statement from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

Occupy Long Beach ends with arrests, citations

Occupy Los Angeles protester Oct 15 2011
Occupy Long Beach ended Sunday with arrests and citations after demonstrators clashed with police trying to usher them out of a public park.

Long Beach Police said two people were arrested, and two others received citations, for allegedly refusing to leave the park after its 10 p.m. closing time. The protest began Saturday.

Jason James, 30, of Long Beach and an unidentified minor were arrested for allegedly violating a city ordinance that prohibits camping in a closed public park and for allegedly obstructing a police officer.

Police said that the 35 to 40 demonstrators in Long Beach's downtown Lincoln Park were peaceful Sunday and that most of them followed an order to move to the sidewalk when the park closed.

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