Today's top stories and some commentary from behind the Orange Curtain:
OCR and LAT: Suit targets UCI hospital. "Failure to succeed" results in lawsuits from NINE families. Cygan (shamed Med Center Director) remains on PAID leave. UCI Chancellor remains on job. LAT lead,
Nine families whose relatives died while waiting for liver transplants filed a wrongful death lawsuit against UCI Medical Center on Friday. The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, also alleges negligence and misrepresentation, contending that patients were given false hope of transplants and added to a waiting list even though the hospital's troubled program was floundering.
OCR and LAT: Failed recall could have effect. Haven't heard the last from the recall folks, we suspect, although leader departs. There'll be more to report on this,
Said trustee Marlene Draper [to the OCR], "It has shown us ... we need to reach out more to our community, to make sure our community is well aware of what the school board does." CUSD might try privatizing next.
Board President Marlene Draper said [to the LAT] the recall campaign was a distraction, and its failure vindicated trustees' decisions. "We are very thrilled we don't have to go through with a recall election," she said. "Now we can focus on what we do, and that is educating children."
Trustees' 12/22 statement here.
OCR: Activists decry immigration plan. Costa Mesa takes the right direction,
"The focus of this (enforcement) is to remove violent, criminal offenders to make the streets safer. I don't see how anyone can protest against that. This will in no way, shape or form involve sweeps or focus on the victims of crime." - Allan Mansoor, Costa Mesa mayor
OCR Surf's Up column on the closing of Clark Foam: More on Grubby's business wipeout thanks in part, it appears, to the AQMD,
(Grubby) stated that AQMD had been in there and said that the adhesive he was using to glue up the stringer was over the allowable (VOC) limit. "Grubby said that there was no room to put in a scrubber because of the size of the scrubber he would need in the Laguna Niguel location. Grubby said that was about it. That it is just too hard to manufacture and grow in the U.S. because of the restrictions, workmen's comp and having to factor in future machines to comply and conform to the new rules in the future. Sayonara to a viable local business.
DP: Idea would bring charter campus to local district. "...would combine classroom instruction and home study on a weekly basis"?!
An Editorial from the San Diego Union Tribune (too good to miss):
Botox tax? Bah!
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051224/news_lz1ed24middle.html
hades of Proposition 13. We could soon hear rumblings of a possible tax revolt in 2006 by Californians – at least among those with heavily lined faces. Despite what a Sacramento Bee report described as unanimous public opposition, the rapacious sorts at the Board of Equalization may soon decide to impose a tax on, yes, Botox.
The rationale for such a levy is that state regulations exempt medicines from the sales tax, but only if they are used to treat disease. This has a certain logic, to be sure. But while Botox is mainly sold as a wrinkle remover, the fact remains that it is an FDA-approved drug used to treat a long list of ailments – migraines, neck pain, cerebral palsy, muscle spasms, jaw disorders, etc. Do we really want the state to set up a regulatory process to evaluate which Botox purchases should be taxed and which should go untaxed?
Happy Holidays!
Posted by: Hanna | December 24, 2005 at 09:01 PM