West Nile Virus Found in Los Angeles

Health officials are urging people to eliminate standing water that attracts insects and use mosquito repellent.

The urging comes after the West Nile Virus was detected in mosquitoes collected from two Long Beach traps.

The virus has been detected in 14 counties across California—including Los Angeles and Riverside.

Health officials are urging people to avoid mosquito-infested areas, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, keeps screens and windows closed, and limit the watering of lawns and outdoor plants.

There have been three confirmed cases of Californians contracting the virus.

Centinela Hospital Center on Life Support

Some people living in South Los Angeles are worried that budget cuts will reduce the role of Centinela Hospital Center in Inglewood.

Since its takeover in 2007- Prime Healthcare services has fired more than 220 of its seventeen hundred employees.

Prime has closed seven of Centinela’s 13 operating rooms and canceled most of its private insurance contracts.

Prime says the cuts have been able to keep the hospital financially afloat.

State data shows that Centinela Hospital was unprofitable for years before Prime’s buyout and the previous owner considered shutting down the hospital.

State and federal data show Prime hospitals score above average on patient safety and treatment outcomes.

Still, many Inglewood residents are going to other hospitals.

Chief Executive of the Venice Family Clinic Liz Forer says she has seen a 15 percent increase in patients from Inglewood.

Offshore Dilling a Bad Idea says Schwarzenegger

Governor Schwarzenegger says people who think offshore oil drilling will bring down gas prices are just “blowing smoke”.

Some analysts say Schwarzenegger’s comment was being directed towards Republican Presidential nominee John McCain and possible running mate Florida Governor Charlie Crist.

The California Governor also criticized U-S energy consumers for not using enough renewable energy.

Schwarzenegger wants 33 percent of all California electricity to come from renewable sources—the state currently gets 12 percent.

Schwarzenegger also wants to add seven Million more hybrid vehicles by 2020.

Schwarzenegger and Crist did agree on one thing that the everyday driver needs to do more for the environment—drive slower, keep engines tuned, and tires properly inflated.

LBC is trying to be Green

The Long Beach Police Department is trying to be “greener”.

The Police Department added ten Toyota Priuses to it fleet.

And, plans to replace retiring vehicles with more eco-friendly cars.

The Department consists of mainly Ford Crown Victorias.

The Priuses will be used by police personnel traveling for training and other work…but not patrol.

The new cars will not be replacing black and white patrol vehicles.

The Department says this is because the system is not compatible with all the features needed in a patrol unit.

Recycling bottles, paper, and FOOD?

Beginning in September more than 85-hundred Los Angeles families will be recycling their wasted food.

The newest program will be launched in North Central and South L-A to reduce the amount of city garbage.

The plan estimates that eight to 20 pounds of food waste per household could be recycled.

About 27 percent of black-bin waste in landfills is food waste—and residents dump about 230-thousand tons of food scraps every year.

The 140-thousand dollar--one-year trial program will be paid through existing trash fees.

If the project goes city-wide it will cost around 13 Million dollars.

Turning Waste into Fuel

An advanced ethanol refinery is likely to be built in Lancaster.

Los Angeles County Officials are expected to approve the construction.

The refinery will turn waste into fuel.

The Regional Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on July 23rd and make their decision after the hearing.

The project will cost about 30-Million dollars—and will be built on a ten acre lot on Avenue “F” between Division Street and tenth Street East.

The refinery is expected produce three point two Million gallons a year.

It is expected to be built by the summer of 2009.

Show Me the Contract...then the Money

Former “Quincy M-E” star Jack Klugman may finally get to see his contract.

A Los Angeles court judge urged N-B-C Universal to show the actor his contract to see if the studio owes Klugman any money.

The judged stopped short of forcing the studio to reveal the contract, hoping both sides could reach an agreement by early August.

Klugman claims he lost his contract when his agent died and N-B-C is refusing to provide a copy.

The 85-year-old Klugman says he should receive 25 percent of the show’s net profit—which he says is around 250 Million dollars.

N-B-C says the series had lost 66 Million dollars through 2006.