Violations

Aug 4 2011

Violating the civil rights

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The federal government has preliminarily resolved its religious discrimination case against the city of Walnut over handling of a proposed Zen Center.

The U.S. Department of Justice sued the municipality last September, accusing Walnut of violating the civil rights of the Buddhist group Chung Tai in 2008 by denying its request to build the only non-Christian religious center in the city.

Aug 3 2011

Selling pets in public is illegal

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The Los Angeles City Council voted 11-0 today to make it illegal to buy animals on public property.

“The sale of live animals on city sidewalks and streets poses a real risk to these vulnerable animals and the public at large,” said Councilwoman Jan Perry, who came up with the idea.

Selling pets in public is already illegal.

Perry said many of the animals being sold have not been vaccinated, have been taken from their mothers too soon, or carry diseases and often end up being abandoned.

Jun 14 2011

Assess public safety value

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Councilmembers Tony Cardenas and Bernard Parks said they want to keep the city’s controversial red light traffic camera program alive for another year in order to assess its public safety value and consider how to make it work financially.

The councilmembers introduced a motion asking the Police Commission to keep the program’s operator, American Traffic Solutions, on a month-to-month contract for up to one year.

May 23 2011

Child with no seatbelt: $445

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Between today and June 5, if you don't "click it,'' you stand a good chance of getting a $142 ticket.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department warned that it and other departments throughout the state will look for drivers and passengers without seatbelts for the next two weeks as part of the 2011 Click It or Ticket campaign.

The fines and fees for a first-time adult seatbelt violation is a minimum $142. The minimum is $445 for children under 16 the first time.

Apr 26 2011

$5.4 million in unpaid parking tickets

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The city Department of Transportation has failed to collect an estimated $5.4 million in unpaid parking tickets by not aggressively pursuing ticket "scofflaws,'' according to a city controller's audit released today.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.