Occupy San Fernando Valley set for Saturday morning

Organizers say they are launching a new protest against corporate greed in front of the Van Nuys Courthouse on Saturday called Occupy San Fernando Valley.

The group has a march planned up Van Nuys Boulevard and a rally Saturday afternoon, capped by a meeting in the evening. Los Angeles police said they met Friday with representatives from the mayor's office and the city attorney at City Hall downtown to address the protest, but declined to say what was discussed.

Marcos Perez, one of the organizers, said the group has been told they cannot set up an overnight encampment at the site. If asked, members have decided they will move to the sidewalk or walk or stand until they are allowed to return to the courthouse plaza at 6 a.m., he added.

For the daylight hours, protesters will be bringing tents and sleeping bags, which they see as the core symbol of what they're trying to say, Perez added.

"A lot of people are losing their homes because of the greed of Wall Street and the banks and their only shelter is sleeping bags and tents," said Perez, a political science student at Los Angeles Valley College. "If we aren't allowed to bring in tents and canopies it's restricting our free speech."

School official forced Lake Elsinore girl to eat out of trash can

A campus supervisor forced an 8-year-old Lake Elsinore girl to eat her lunch out of a trash can, the girl's mother told the North County Times.

The supervisor at Earl Warren Elementary School retrieved an uneaten sandwich, wrapped in plastic, from the garbage where the third-grader had tossed it and then made the girl eat it.

Lake Elsinore Unified School District Supt. Frank Passarella said it was a one-time mistake.

"We had an employee, I think, who was looking to do the right thing," Passarella told the paper. "I think the employee made a poor decision but did it with the best of intent. ... It won't happen again."

The mother, who the paper identified only as Irene, said her daughter is afraid to eat at school, and they are having lunch together at a local park. She wants to see the supervisor disciplined. School officials said discipline actions are confidential.

ALSO:

Outrage after Dodgers attorney suggests Bryan Stow partly to blame

Ex-Penthouse model's death probed by Navy investigators

Photographers sue Sheriff's Department, alleging they were harassed

-- Gale Holland

Long Beach Memorial Medical Center nurses prepare for strike

Hundreds of registered nurses at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center could go on strike next week if contract negotiations with the hospital’s management fail.

Union members authorized the strike after two days of voting, according to Margie Keenan, a 38-year registered nurse at the hospital and secretary of the California Nurses Assn.  "It was an overwhelming majority," Keenan said Friday.

The union represents about 1,900 registered nurses at the hospital, according to Keenan.

The hospital employs 2,000 registered nurses, hospital officials say.

The union's action comes a few days before bargaining members meet with hospital officials in an effort to settle a month-long contract dispute. But Keenan said the strike would be put off if they were making headway on negotiations by Tuesday or Wednesday.

Irvine swim coach sentenced in sex with 15-year-old

An Irvine swim instructor was sentenced Friday to 16 months in state prison for having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student.

Todd Robert Sousa, 37, co-owned Swim Venture, which offered lessons to adults and children at leased pools in Orange County. Prosecutors said that from April 2010 to February, he had escalating sexual contact, including intercourse, with the girl at his office, in his car and in an equipment closet.

At the sentencing, her mother and stepfather told the court that the girl had been an avid swimmer, but now is depressed and refuses to practice. Sousa also will be required to register as a sex offender.

Under so-called child safety zone laws, he will be barred from entering parks in county territory, Irvine, La Habra, Los Alamitos and Westminster unless he obtains advance permission from police. Huntington Beach, Laguna Hills and Yorba Linda are considering passing similar bans on park use by sex offender, prosecutors said.

ALSO:

Classic Porsche stolen 23 years ago seized at port

Occupy Oakland regroups; injured Iraq war veteran recovering

Outrage after Dodgers attorney suggests Bryan Stow partly to blame

--Gale Holland

Arson ruled out in Carson construction site fire

Investigators have ruled out arson in a fire that burned through part of a multi-story residential complex under construction in Carson, a sheriff's spokesman said Friday.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the sheriff's arson and explosives detail determined that Thursday night's fire was accidental, although an exact cause will not be available, probably for several weeks, Deputy Luis Castro of the sheriff's headquarters bureau said.

The three-story structure, which included more than 100 units, was being framed, providing plenty of wood and open spaces to stoke the blaze, officials said.  Ten mobile homes nearby were damaged, and some people were forced to evacuate, but no injuries were reported.

ALSO:

Classic Porsche stolen 23 years ago seized at port

Occupy Oakland regroups; injured Iraq war veteran recovering

Outrage after Dodgers attorney suggests Bryan Stow partly to blame

--Gale Holland

Photo: Fire investigators look through the debris at the Carson site. Credit: Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times

When is it right to have invasive procedures for non-invasive cancers?

Prof Sir Mike Richards, the "Cancer Czar"

Since the announcement by Professor Sir Mike Richards – the National Clinical Director for Cancer (more commonly known as the "Cancer Czar") – that he has set up an independent review of the breast screening service, I have read, watched and listened to news bulletins about the subject and found them all to be totally confusing and, in some cases, less than accurate.

The central issue seems to be DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), which was described by one television broadcaster as being a "pre-cancerous" condition and, by another, as being treated unnecessarily with chemotherapy. Neither of these statements is correct.

To make sure I understood the condition, I spoke to Dr Emma Pennery from Breast Cancer Care. Emma explained to me that the crux of the matter is that DCIS is a type of non-invasive breast cancer which might or might not develop into an invasive cancer. It is definitely not a pre-cancerous condition.

However, as yet, we do not have the technology to determine which DCIS will invade and which will remain in the breast duct – therefore it is not possible to decide which woman is safe with the tumour left in her breast and which is not.

So, at the moment, the policy is to surgically remove the cancer and follow with radiotherapy. Chemotherapy is never used for this condition because the cancer cells have not escaped: they remain in the breast duct and do not need to be mopped up.

For some women diagnosed with this condition, who have undergone disfiguring surgery and treatment, the discovery that the cancer might not have developed in their lifetime has proved difficult to bear, and induced much anger. This is the "over-diagnosis" and "over-treatment" of which we have read and heard.

I can understand how these women feel but, having experienced breast cancer, I find it hard to imagine leaving the tumour in place and waiting to see what happened. I would be too anxious knowing there was a cancerous tumour lurking in my breast and would think "better safe than sorry" – but other women are happier going forward with a 50 per cent chance that all will be well. There is, of course, no right or wrong reaction – we are all different, entitled to our own opinions and should not be afraid to refuse treatment or mammography if that is our wish.

We know that mammograms are not 100 per cent accurate – nothing is. False negatives and false positives do occur and surgery may be carried out only to find that the condition is benign (again, for me "better safe than sorry") – but, for the vast majority of people, these tests provide a great service in detecting tumours before they are "feel-able" or "see-able" and, as we all know, if a cancer is caught early the outcome is much more likely to be positive.

Let us hope that it will not be too long before researchers find a method of testing DCIS and establishing which will remain in place and which will spread.

Meanwhile, if you feel you need more information before you make a decision about having a mammogram or surgery, please contact Breast Cancer Care whose nurses will talk you through all the advantages and disadvantages of screening, surgery and treatment plus guiding you through the myriad of different breast cancers.

It is imperative that when women and men make decisions about their health problems – particularly where cancer is concerned – these decisions must be well-informed.

www.breastcancercare.org.uk

Telephone 0845 092 0800

Email: info@breastcanceercare.org.uk

All but 3 guns stolen from LAPD SWAT unit remain missing [Updated]

This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details

All but three guns in a cache of weapons stolen earlier this month from an unguarded building used by the Los Angeles Police Department’s SWAT unit are still missing and it is likely some or all
were sold to black market buyers, police said Friday.

[Updated at 6:44 p.m. Deputy Chief Michael Downing clarified that although it is possible all of the guns were sold, it was not known for sure that was the case.]

Police arrested two men on suspicion of committing the theft and three others on charges of possession of the three recovered weapons, Cmdr. Andrew Smith said.

Police said they are continuing their search for the weapons, which they said included about 15 MP-5 submachine guns and a similar number of large caliber handguns.

Although the guns had been altered to fire plastic pellets for training exercises, it is possible for them to be restored to fire regular ammunition. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck has downplayed that possibility, however gun experts and online tutorials suggest that the process is relatively simple and requires only a few parts.

The company that manufactures the conversion kits used by the LAPD has an instructional video on its website that walks a viewer through the steps of returning an MP-5 to its original form in about five minutes. At least some of the parts required to change the MP-5 back to live firing were for sale on a gun supply website. It was unclear, however, what documentation or background checks would be required to purchase them.

Outrage after Dodgers attorney suggests Bryan Stow partly to blame

The attorney for Bryan Stow's family blasted the Los Angeles Dodgers and owner Frank McCourt after an attorney for the team suggested Stow may be found partly to blame for the beating that left him in a coma.

The Stow family is suing the Dodgers over the beating, which occurred at the team's home opener in March against the San Francisco Giants.

“How you are judged in life is how you react after mistakes,” said Stow attorney Thomas Girardi. “Oh, so here it is, let’s blame the innocent guy for the lack of security at Dodger Stadium...McCourt’s taken millions out of the Dodgers and he and his attorneys know the end is near.”

Girardi noted Major League Baseball has alleged in bankruptcy court that McCourt took $189.16 million out of the team. Girardi said Stow’s medical costs already top $3 million, exceeding the Dodgers' insurance coverage, and Stow's total damages could top $50 million. Because the amount is so high, Stow’s attorneys are on the Dodgers bankruptcy creditors committee.

The Dodgers' Jerome Jackson told The Times his statements were purely in reference to how a civil jurymight break down responsibility for the beating after the Dodgers' home opener. He cited a magazine article that said Stow had alcohol in his system when he was admitted to the hospital.

"As Sports Illustrated noted, Bryan Stow was admitted with 0.176 blood alcohol level and that is something that will be considered at trial," he said.

Stow, a father of two, was walking through the Dodger Stadium parking lot with two friends after the Dodgers' opening-day victory over the Giants when he was attacked. Louie Sanchez, 29, and Marvin Norwood, 30, have been charged in connection with the attack.

Jackson initially talked about the case to ESPN on Thursday, saying: "I've been doing these cases for 23 years and I have never seen one yet which it didn't take at least two people to tango."

ALSO:

‘Cool Kevin’ gives the skinny on Huntington Beach

Ex-Penthouse model's death probed by Navy investigators

Photographers sue Sheriff's Department, alleging they were harassed

-- Richard Winton

twitter.com/lacrimes

Photo: Bryan Stow and his children.

Credit: Reuters

All but 3 guns stolen from LAPD SWAT unit sold on black market

All but three guns in a cache of weapons stolen earlier this month from an unguarded building used by the Los Angeles Police Department’s SWAT unit were sold to black market buyers, police said Friday.

Police arrested two men on suspicion of committing the theft and three others on charges of possession of the three recovered weapons, Cmdr. Andrew Smith said.

Police said they are continuing their search for the weapons, which they said included about 15 MP-5 submachine guns and a similar number of large caliber handguns.

Although the guns had been altered to fire plastic pellets for training exercises, it is possible for them to be restored to fire regular ammunition. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck has downplayed that possibility, however gun experts and online tutorials suggest that the process is relatively simple and requires only a few parts.

The company that manufactures the conversion kits used by the LAPD has an instructional video on its website that walks a viewer through the steps of returning an MP-5 to its original form in about five minutes. At least some of the parts required to change the MP-5 back to live firing were for sale on a gun supply website. It was unclear, however, what documentation or background checks would be required to purchase them.

Occupy San Diego: ACLU wants charges dropped against protesters

The ACLU sought Friday to have charges dropped against 51 protesters from the Occupy San Diego movement who were arrested when police cleared the civic plaza and a downtown park about 2 a.m.

Kevin Keenan, executive director of the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial counties, said he asked Police Chief Bill Lansdowne to have the charges dropped because some of the protesters may have to spend several nights in jail until they are able to make bail.

"Historically, the San Diego Police Department has managed protest activity exceedingly well, with a focus on accommodation of speech in the broader public interest," Keenan said after talking to Lansdowne. "Overnight presence is fundamental to the political message of Occupy San Diego."

Keenan said the city should "develop rules and a system for accommodating other overnight activities with a political purpose."

Lansdowne said the sweep was ordered after protesters refused to remove tents, tarps, chairs and other property from the plaza behind City Hall. More than 100 officers, backed by San Diego County sheriff's deputies, arrested protesters who refused to move. No injuries were reported and no tear gas was used.

Mayor Jerry Sanders, a former police chief, said he supports the chief's decision to oust protesters who refused to move.

"The city of San Diego supports anyone's right to protest," Sanders said in a statement. "However, when health and safety issues arise, or when protesters fail to comply with the law, appropriate action must be taken."

Some of the protesters had been camped in the civic plaza since the protest began Oct. 8.

ALSO:

Classic Porsche stolen 23 years ago seized at port

Occupy Oakland regroups; injured Iraq war veteran recovering

Outrage after Dodgers attorney suggests Bryan Stow partly to blame

--Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: Protesters in the civic plaza confront police hours after the removal of tents and other property and the arrest of 51 people.  Credit: Denis Poroy / Reuters

Marine from Northern California killed in Afghanistan

A Marine from Northern California has been killed in combat in Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced Friday.

INTERACTIVE: California's War Dead database

Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Dunning, 31, of Milpitas, Calif., was killed Thursday in Helmand province, long a Taliban stronghold. Dunning was assigned to the 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

RELATED:

Marine killed in training accident at Twentynine Palms

Three Marines sent to court martial in lance corporal's suicide

Northern California soldier first killed in Iraq after President announces withdrawal

--Tony Perry in San Diego

Reader photos: Southern California Moments Day 301

Abandoned: Neil Kremer photographs discarded objects at the Salton Sea in Niland Oct. 15.

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.

Grim Sleeper suspect linked to killings of 6 more women

 

Los Angeles police detectives have linked six more slayings to the alleged Grim Sleeper serial killer after reviewing hundreds of unsolved homicide cases, missing persons reports, as well as a cache of photos of unidentified women found at the suspect’s home.

Law enforcement sources told The Times that with the new cases, 16 killings have been linked to Lonnie Franklin Jr., 59, who is already accused of killing 10 women whose bodies were found on the streets of South Los Angeles over two decades. Police have also identified a second woman who they say survived an attack by Franklin.

Even before Franklin’s July 2010 arrest, investigators suspected that they would eventually find that the man had killed more than the 10 women whose cases were linked to Franklin by ballistic and DNA evidence.

 INTERACTIVE MAP: Grim Sleeper killings, 1985-2007

Detectives continued look for additional victims, taking the unusual step of releasing photographs of dozens of women found at Franklin’s home, hoping the public could help determine if they were victims.

Three of the newly identified victims were allegedly tied to Franklin through physical evidence, said a police source with knowledge of the investigation, who requested anonymity because the additional cases have not been made public. In two of those cases, ballistic evidence showed that the bullets used to kill the women were fired from a gun Franklin is accused of using in other killings, while DNA and ballistic tests connected him to a third women, the source said.

Man found dead in Glendale motel had been accused of molestation

A Northern California man found dead in a Glendale motel earlier this month had been accused of molesting a girl in Ukiah seven years ago, officials said.  

Thomas P. Tonkin, 61, was found dead Oct. 19 in a room at the Chariot Inn on East Colorado Avenue.

Coroner’s officials were waiting for a toxicology report to determine a cause of death.

But a statement from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department noted that empty prescription medication containers and half-empty liquor bottles were found in the room.

Mendocino County officials said Tonkin became the subject of an investigation last summer when the girl, now 16, reported he had molested her when she was 9.

The molestation occurred shortly after the death of her father, who was a friend of Tonkin’s, she said.

She told detectives that Tonkin, who had moved to Oregon, had again contacted her.

Detectives arrested him at a meeting they monitored in August between the girl and Tonkin at a Ukiah hotel, where Tonkin allegedly proposed that he and the girl have sex.

Paranormal Housewives of Southern California hunt down ghosts

Erin Potter, like many kids growing up, had an imaginary friend.

She said they had a game where he would take her doll clothes or toys and hide them, and then she and her sister would find them.

Then Potter had a thought: Imaginary friends can't move things.

It was then that the Aliso Viejo resident "realized what a ghost was."

In June 2010, Potter and friends Kirsten Thorne and Marsha Covert-Garcia started Paranormal Housewives in an effort to further their interest and education in paranormal investigations, the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot reported.

The women started the all-female group as a response to the male-dominated groups they encountered.

Potter would try to join other investigative groups, but she said the mostly male groups would plan trips spontaneously, which was difficult for her with two kids and a husband.

"We were tired of the drama," Potter said with a laugh.

In their group, organizing investigations around family's schedules is the norm, with most of the wives having at least one child.

Their gender may actually help in investigations, Covert-Garcia said, because they're sensitive and want to respect the dead.

3 arrested in connection with beating in South L.A. park

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in the September beating and robbery of a homeless man in a South Los Angeles park.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said the man was severely beaten and robbed of a few dollars and a small radio Sept. 24 in Colonel Leon H. Washington Park on South Maie Avenue.

He spent two weeks in a hospital intensive-care unit.

Earlier this week, deputies from the sheriff's parks bureau arrested two people whom they saw at the park: Onesi Reyes, 27, and Richard Johnson, 31, both homeless.

On Thursday, deputies arrested Ernest Jackson Jr., a 38-year-old homeless parolee, at the same park.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact detectives at (661) 294-3544.

ALSO:

Classic Porsche stolen 23 years ago seized at port

Occupy Oakland regroups; injured Iraq war veteran recovering

Outrage after Dodgers attorney suggests Bryan Stow partly to blame

 -- Sam Quinones

twitter.com/samquinones7

Plastic water bottle-makers sued by California over green claims [Updated]

California Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris filed a lawsuit against three companies Wednesday for allegedly making false and misleading claims about their plastic water bottles' recyclability and biodegradability. The lawsuit is the first to enforce California's environmental marketing law, which  makes it illegal to label a plastic food or beverage container as biodegradable because plastic takes thousands of years to break down naturally and may never do so in a landfill.

According to the lawsuit, Balance and AquaMantra plastic water bottles, marketed by ENSO Plastics in Mesa, Ariz., falsely claim the bottles are both biodegradable and recyclable. The labeling states the bottles contain a microbial additive that helps them break down in less than five years. The lawsuit says the microbial additive doesn't accelerate the breakdown process and also compromises the bottles' recyclability because the microbial additive is considered a "destructive contaminant" by the Assn. of Post Consumer Plastic Recyclers.

“Our industry is young, and we are still improving standards and dispelling false beliefs," ENSO president Danny Clark said in a statement the company released two days after the lawsuit was filed. "Our products perform as we claim, and we have the data to prove it. The situation in California is a lack of education and misunderstanding new technologies; this is not an issue of false claims. We will take this opportunity to bring legislators up to speed with ENSO technologies and the value they bring to the environment.” [Updated 10-28-11, 1:40 p.m.: The original version of this post said ENSO had not responded to a request for comment.]

In 2008, California banned the use of the terms "biodegradable," "degradable" and "decomposable" in plastic food and beverage container labeling. Senate Bill 567, going into effect in 2013, will expand the 2008 law to all plastic products.

RELATED:

Can I recycle PlantBottles?

Biodegradable plastics: Plant symbol chosen as icon

-- Susan Carpenter

Photo: AquaMantra water bottles. Credit: AquaMantra.com

Mayor, LAPD and protesters meet to discuss Occupy movements

City officials and protesters are holding a meeting Friday afternoon at the mayor’s office to discuss the Occupy movements throughout Los Angeles County, a police spokesman said.

The meeting includes representatives from the Los Angeles Police Department, members of the Occupy L.A. movement and at least one representative of the start-up Occupy San Fernando Valley protest, which is slated to kick off Saturday morning, according to LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith.

The meeting will likely determine the fate of Occupy San Fernando Valley and lay out guidelines if it is to proceed.

PHOTOS: Occupy protests around the nation

The discussions come after several city officials aimed tactful criticism at Occupy groups early this week. On Wednesday, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the movement "cannot continue indefinitely."

But North Hills resident Marcos Perez has been part of four Occupy San Fernando Valley general assembly meetings already, and he said Friday morning that the local protest is “absolutely happening.

"If we want this idea of occupying public space to actually do something," he said, "this is something that can't stop."

RELATED:

Tensions simmer in Bay Area

Putting the move in Occupy movement

Talk radio hosts get an earful at Occupy L.A. encampment

-- Matt Stevens

Photo: Occupy L.A. continues on the lawn of City Hall. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

Michael Jackson likely caused his own death, witness testifies

A leading anesthesiologist on Friday told jurors in the trial of Michael Jackson’s personal physician that the singer probably caused his own death by injecting himself with a dose of the drug while his doctor wasn’t looking.

In his testimony, defense expert Paul White directly challenged the theory put forth by the government’s main medical witness, Dr. Steven Shafer. The prosecution expert testified that the only plausible scenario was that Dr. Conrad Murray had left a large intravenous drip of the anesthetic propofol running into the singer’s bloodstreams for three hours, even after he stopped breathing.

On Friday, White said Shafer’s theory was ruled out by the level of the drug found in Jackson’s urine at autopsy. Given the urine levels and evidence at the scene, the more likely explanation was that the singer gave himself the drug, said White, one of the first U.S. researchers to study the drug.

Witnesses: Who's who in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray

“You think it was self-injection of propofol ... between 11:30 and 12 o’clock?” defense attorney Michael Flanagan asked.

“In my opinion, yes,” White said.

White’s statement is the first evidence the defense has put forward to support a theory they’ve argued all along: that it was Jackson, not Murray, who administered the lethal dose of propofol that killed the pop star. Shafer testified that blood levels of the drug found at autopsy did not support self-injection -- something he said was a “crazy scenario.”

White offered no defense to what several medical experts called by prosecutors have told jurors -- that even if Jackson gave himself the drug, Murray was still responsible for the singer’s death for leaving him unattended. At the beginning of his testimony Thursday, he acknowledged he could not explain away Murray’s conduct.

Occupy San Diego protesters vow return to plaza despite ouster

Occupy San Diego protesters vowed Friday to return to the civic plaza behind City Hall despite being ousted and their tents removed by a massive police sweep hours earlier.

"The police were completely out of line," said protest leader Ray Lutz. "This insidious show of force has only energized our movement. We're going to be even stronger."

Police arrested 51 people at the plaza and at Children's Park in the nearby Gaslamp Quarter, most on suspicion of illegal lodging, encroachment and resisting. Police around 2 a.m. used bullhorns to order protesters to leave.

"The last thing we wanted was to arrest anyone," Asst. Chief Boyd Long told a news conference outside police headquarters. "Unfortunately they put us in the position to make those arrests."

Negotiations between police and protesters about removing tents, tarps, tables, chairs and other property had broken down, said Chief Bill Lansdowne. "It had deteriorated to the point where there was no dialogue," he said.

San Diego police and San Diego County sheriff's deputies, in riot gear, ordered protesters to move from the civic plaza and take their property. Those who refused were arrested; property that remained was confiscated.

Once the area is steam-cleaned, police said, protesters are free to use the plaza but not to bring their tents and other property.

Police said a minimum of force was used in making arrests. No tear gas was used. Plastic handcuffs were used to restrain those being arrested.

Protesters disagreed about the police tactics. "They pulled us out of our tents without warning," Lutz said. Some of the protesters had been at the civic plaza for nearly three weeks.

Unlike some other cities, San Diego political officials have shown no official support for the Occupy movement. "They're completely out of step here," said Lutz.

ALSO:

$10 million awarded to girl who needed amputations after ER delay

Navy investigators seek public's help in ex-Penthouse model's death

Occupy San Diego protesters ousted after dialogue ended, police say

--Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: Occupy San Diego property seized by police in early-morning sweep. Credit: John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune

Publisher arrested on suspicion of extorting sex offender’s family

The publisher of an Irvine-based Persian magazine has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to extort money from the family of an Orange County rug merchant accused of assaulting 11 women.

Javad Mostafavi, 70, was arrested last week on suspicion of extorting from the family of Saeid Boustanabadi Maralan, who is being held on $1.5 million bail in connection with the alleged assaults, police said.

Maralan's wife reported that Mostafavi threatened the family on several occasions, saying he would print Maralan's booking photo on the cover of his magazine, Payam-e-Ashena, if he wasn't paid $3,000, police said. The magazine publisher even emailed the wife a mock-up of the magazine with Maralan's photo on the cover, according to Lt. Jason Kravetz of the Long Beach Police Department.

Maralan, the manager of Sirous & Sons Rug Gallery in Laguna Beach, is a registered sex offender who has several sexual assault convictions in Los Angeles County, according to police and court records.

Several female customers reported that Maralan would lure them into the back of the store and then expose himself or attempt to fondle them or force himself onto them, police said. After initial reports of his arrest, several additional women came forward to accuse Maralan of various sexual assaults, police said.

Maralan faces a maximum sentence of 60 years to life in state prison if convicted, prosecutors said.

ALSO:

California fir to be Christmas tree at nation's Capitol

Ex-Penthouse model's death probed by Navy investigators

$10 million awarded to girl who needed amputations after ER delay

-- Joanna Clay, Times Community News

Photo: Saeid Boustanabadi Maralan. Credit: Orange County District Attorney's Office

Man surrenders after standoff in Wilmington

Los Angeles police SWAT officers fired tear gas into a Wilmington apartment, where a man was holed up for nearly seven hours early Friday until he surrendered.

Adrian Zuniga, 23, of Harbor City, was taken into custody about 1 a.m. and booked on a charge of spousal abuse, said Lt. John Pasquariello of the LAPD Harbor Division.

The incident took place at an apartment on the 24500 block of South Avalon Boulevard after a woman called police about 6:30 p.m. Thursday to say the father of her children had broken into their apartment.

“Mom was able to escape with her kids. She called police and he refused to come out,” Pasquariello said.

Police arrived and eventually a SWAT team was called in. Neighbors were evacuated from nearby apartments.

After several hours, police lobbed tear gas into the apartment. Zuniga gave himself up and was arrested. No one was hurt.

ALSO:

50 arrested at Occupy San Diego camp

Carson fire caused $3.1 million in damage, displaced 139 people

$10 million awarded to girl who needed amputations after ER delay

 -- Sam Quinones

twitter.com/samquinones7

Congressmen support restrictions on news helicopters

Three congressmen from the San Fernando Valley say helicopters, including those used by TV news stations, need to be more strictly regulated.

They said as much to a House of Representatives panel Thursday in response to residents' complaints about low-flying helicopters and the noise they make, according to the Burbank Leader.

Rep. Howard Berman (D-Van Nuys) has been pushing for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Aviation Subcommittee to take up the issue for months.

At the panel, he cited “Carmageddon” and other events as attracting nearly nonstop helicopter noise as news channels ramped up coverage of the 405 Freeway closure earlier this year.

“Helicopters were flying over people’s houses with reckless abandon to view the freeway,” Berman testified. “Never have my constituents seen such a heavy volume of helicopter traffic over their homes.”

He was joined by Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank).

They favor adopting greater restrictions on flight paths and minimum altitudes for helicopters in county airspace.

Emergency flights and military operations would be exempt from the Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act, which would be implemented by the Federal Aviation Administration.

-- Jason Wells, Times Community News

Photo: A Glendale Police Department helicopter during an Oct. 13 training exercise. Credit: Raul Roa / Times Community News.

‘Cool Kevin’ gives the skinny on Huntington Beach

Dudes, meet Cool Kevin.

He's the tourism coordinator for Huntington Beach's Marketing and Visitors Bureau and the host of "The Huntington Beach Low-Down," a recently launched video series that extols the virtues of Surf City.

Host Kevin Keller -– who looks like the prototypical California surfer -– is quickly becoming a recognizable figure, the Huntington Beach Independent reported.

"People recognize me walking down the street and they'll ask me random questions," Keller recently said between takes in downtown Huntington Beach. "It's pretty funny."

Wearing shades and a black T-shirt with the bureau logo, Keller got the action cue and began describing the shop's merchandise and café, occasionally searching for a word but never pausing. The host, who lives downtown and works during the week in the information kiosk by the pier, doesn't need a rehearsal to talk about Huntington.

When communications manager Madison Fisher and film commissioner Briton Saxton conceived of "Low-Down," they sought a homegrown feel. That means hand-held camera work, improvised narration — and even flubs kept in the final cut. The October installment, "Best Breakfast Places," begins with a short clip of Keller pausing before his introduction, then laughing and requesting a retake.

Occupy San Diego protesters ousted after dialogue ended, police say

The San Diego police chief said a decision was made to clear Occupy San Diego protesters from the civic plaza Friday after talks broke down with protesters who refused to remove their tents.

Mayor Jerry Sanders, a former police chief, was informed in advance of the decision to remove the protesters and their belongings from the plaza behind City Hall, said Chief Bill Lansdowne.

An estimated 50 people were arrested in the early Friday morning sweep that took less than an hour.

There were no reports of injuries or use of tear gas. Police used plastic handcuffs to restrain those who were arrested.

"It was textbook," Lansdowne said.

About 100 San Diego officers were involved, backed by deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.  Lansdowne said he was proud of the officers who arrived about 2 a.m. and ordered protesters to move or be arrested.

"Most of those who were arrested wanted to be arrested," Lansdowne said.

In the first days of the occupation, police and protesters had a friendly dialogue, Lansdowne said. But in recent days as protesters began erecting more tents, dialogue deteriorated, he said.

On Friday morning, city workers steam-cleaned the plaza as police stood guard to prevent protesters from attempting to return.

Occupy San Diego organizers vowed to stage a march downtown in protest of the police actions.

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50 arrested at Occupy San Diego camp

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$10 million awarded to girl who needed amputations after ER delay

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: San Diego police arrest Occupy protesters Friday. Credit: Fox 5 San Diego.

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Topping a Meal With a Poached Egg

In this week’s Recipes for Health, Martha Rose Shulman explains the art of poaching an egg. She writes:

When I was a caterer I learned that you can poach eggs ahead — they’ll keep for several days in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator. Just carefully drain and warm in a bowl of warm water. Not that they’re any trouble to poach on the spot. Here’s the very reliable method I use: Fill a frying pan with water — for one or two eggs I use my 8-inch omelet pan — and bring to a boil. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water. One at a time, break the eggs into a teacup, then tip from the teacup into the pan (do this in batches if necessary). Immediately turn off the heat under the pan and cover tightly. Leave large and extra-large eggs for four minutes. Smaller eggs, like the beautiful ones an urban farmer friend brought me from his henhouse the other day, will be done in three. Using a spatula or a slotted spoon, carefully transfer to a bowl of cold water. Before serving, drain on a clean dish towel.

Here are five ways to top off your meals with a poached egg.

Quinoa, Spinach and Poached Egg: As in most of the other comforting and simple dinners for one in this week’s Recipes for Health, all of the elements here can be prepared in advance of assembling this dish.

Eggs Poached in Marinara Sauce: This meal, which Italians call “eggs in purgatory,” comes together in little more time than it takes to toast some bread and warm the sauce.

Beet Greens Bruschetta With Poached Egg and Fontina: Toasted whole-grain bread forms a foundation for garlicky greens and silky poached eggs.

Eggs Poached in Curried Tomato Sauce: A South Asian version of huevos rancheros, this dish will leave you with plenty of extra sauce to use down the road.

Endive and Quinoa Salad With Poached Egg: Long-lasting endive makes this a forgiving dish for busy cooks with unpredictable schedules.

Carson fire caused $3.1 million in damage, displaced 139 people

A massive fire that started at a construction site in Carson displaced 139 people and caused $3.1 million in damage, a Los Angeles County Fire Department official said Friday.

The Thursday night blaze destroyed five buildings, damaged six more and ripped through 30 mobile homes, leaving them either damaged or destroyed, said supervising fire dispatcher Ed Pickett.

Two of the damaged buildings were senior citizen housing, Pickett said.

PHOTOS: Carson construction fire

Despite the destruction, only two civilians suffered minor injuries, Pickett said.

The Red Cross was providing shelter for the displaced, but there was no estimate for when residents would be able to return to their homes.

Videos spark scrutiny of Pasadena youth boot camp

Several teen boot camp instructors in Pasadena have come under scrutiny after two videos surfaced showing harsh treatment of participants.

The videos, obtained by the Pasadena Star-News, were created about two years ago.

One shows Kelvin “Sgt. Mac” McFarland forcing children to drink a lot of water. Several are seen vomiting as a result.

The other video shows a boy crying as he carries a truck tire around his shoulders. McFarland and three other instructors are shown screaming at the boy and teasing him to say he “loves his sergeant.”

At least one of the instructors was reportedly on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps at the time, according to the Star-News.

McFarland was arrested May 27 and charged with kidnapping, child abuse, false imprisonment, extortion and unlawful use of a badge after a truant student was allegedly handcuffed in Pasadena, according to court records.

McFarland then allegedly told the girl’s family he would take her to a juvenile detention center if the family did not enroll her in his Family First Growth Camp, according to court records.

50 arrested at Occupy San Diego camp

About 50 people were arrested Friday morning as San Diego police in riot gear moved to clear the civic plaza behind City Hall of both the Occupy San Diego protesters and their tents and other property.

As the sweep began about 2 a.m., an officer using a bullhorn warned protesters "to disperse immediately or you will be arrested." The protesters presence in the plaza been declared "an illegal gathering," he said.

Police had repeatedly warned the protesters that while they could stay, their tents, tarps, chairs, tables and other property had to be removed. But when the sweep began, protesters were told to move and their belongings were confiscated.

Police removed numerous tents Oct. 14 and arrested two young men for allegedly resisting their efforts. But in the last few days, more tents were erected and protesters refused to remove them.

Frank Gormlie, a journalist with the OB Rag website, said more than 100 police officers and San Diego County Sheriff's Department deputies arrived at the civic plaza shortly before 2 a.m.

Police confiscated supplies and food, Gormlie said. He put the number of arrests at 44; Assistant Chief Boyd Long said the number was about 50.

Police Chief Bill Lansdowne, in civilian attire, made an unannounced visit to the plaza in the predawn hours of Thursday, indicating official patience was wearing thin with the protesters, who have been at the civic plaza since Oct. 8.

Early Friday, police erected water-filled barriers around the civic plaza and stood guard to keep protesters from returning.

Occupy San Diego organizers called for a march in downtown San Diego on Friday morning to protest the police actions.

A message on the Occupy San Diego Facebook page said: “The Occupy movement is only growing stronger. Occupy SD will not be moved, we will not be dispersed, our voices will not be stifled by Chief Lansdowne and Mayor Sanders.”

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-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: Occupy San Diego protesters embrace Oct. 14 after confronting San Diego police who removed tents and structures from the Civic Center Plaza. Credit: Gregory Bull / Associated Press