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The first school renovation funded by Measure E is one step closer to reality. The Board of Education unanimously agreed this week to support a plan to spend about $55 million on renovations at Horace Mann School . The proposal, which is still being developed, would create a new two- or three-level building on the corner of Charleville and Robertson boulevards. The building would include a large multipurpose room, underground parking and a new library. Beverly Hills Unified School District facilities director Nelson Cayabyab presented the construction outline to board members at a Measure E study session Tuesday. He received direction to finalize the plan and bring it back to the board at a still-to-be determined study session next month. “Other options were to build a three-story [building] on the east side of Arnez Drive or to just modernize the existing campus,” Cayabyab told Patch in an email. “We do have clear direction now to build a new building. … We are looking at the pros and cons of an underground classroom level or [adding] a third floor onto the existing two-story building.” In accordance with the board’s direction, Cayabyab said he is studying what the total square feet of the building should be, how much parking is necessary and the location of new drop-off and pickup points for parents, which could ease traffic concerns around the school. At least one city traffic officer directs traffic at the school and sometimes another officer issues tickets to those not following directions. “I would want to see curb cutout lanes and other means of ingress/egress to ensure safe and efficient drop off and pickup,” board member Myra Lurie told Patch in an email. “We discussed a drop-off lane inside of the property running east/west that would be entered from Hamel [Road] and exited onto Robertson.” Construction funding would come from Measure E, the $334 million bond passed by voters in 2008 to modernize the city’s schools. As Patch has reported, the original Measure E bond schedule has been revamped because assumptions made at the time of the bond proved to be overly optimistic. The board decided in August to limit initial Measure E construction to Horace Mann and Hawthorne schools, as those are regarded as being the most in need. The $55 million budget for Horace Mann renovations includes about $3 million for modernizing the auditorium. Board members last month had considered tearing down the auditorium and building a new one. Cayabyab and board members have said they hope to start Horace Mann construction in summer 2013. Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook . Read more: Board of Ed OKs Plan for Horace Mann Renovation
As Californians, we are fortunate to enjoy some of the most breathtaking landscapes and pristine wilderness in the country, from Muir Woods in the north of our state to the Santa Monica Mountains in the south. The continued preservation of these and many other sites of great natural beauty across California and the United States is thanks to wise investments made through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Funded by royalties paid by energy companies drilling for oil and gas on federal lands, the LWCF provides matching grants to states and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities without using a penny of tax dollars. These grants are also an investment in our economy. Outdoor recreation contributed $46 billion, including $28.1 million in retail sales and services, to California’s economy this year, and this economic activity supports approximately 408,000 jobs throughout the state. Given California’s and our nation’s unemployment rate, it’s all the more disturbing that Republicans in the House of Representatives are attempting to gut the Land and Water Conservation Fund this year. If successful, their actions will not be without consequences; cuts to the LWCF risk further damage to our state’s fragile economy and the communities that depend on revenue generated by outdoor recreation. Many of these communities already suffer from high unemployment, and cutting off funding for projects that help create jobs is unconscionable. The debate around conservation funding will soon become critical as Congress gears up for the final steps in the Fiscal Year 2012 appropriations process. In the Senate, a draft version of the bill that funds the Interior Department, including the LWCF, was recently released and established the Senate’s priorities for the agency. We recently sent a letter with 30 of our colleagues to Senators Feinstein and Boxer letting them know that California House Democrats stand with them against attempts to undermine these essential investments in our natural heritage. We have entered a dangerous period for the future of public lands in California and across the nation. Congressional Republicans are intent on undermining our ability to safeguard irreplaceable landscapes and advancing legislation that will result in paving wilderness with development, polluting our clean air and water, and cutting funding for ball fields, playgrounds and national parks statewide. In the days and weeks ahead, we will keep fighting to preserve California’s natural heritage. Protecting the great outdoors is good for our economy, helps create jobs, and ensures that the scenic landscapes that millions of people enjoy in California each year will be here for generations to come. Rep. Honda represents California’s 15th district, and Rep. Roybal-Allard serves California’s 34th district. Follow Rep. Honda on Facebook and Twitter . This Op-Ed first appeared THE HILL’s Congress Blog on 10/28/11 . More: Rep. Mike Honda: Protecting the Land and Water Conservation Fund: A Win for the Environment, a Win for the Economy
The last witness in the defense’s case on behalf of Conrad Murray, who is on trial for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson, is expected to wrap up his testimony today. Dr. Paul White is described by KTLA as “one of the world’s foremost experts on the surgical anesthetic propofol,” which was determined to be the drug that killed the King of Pop. more › Read this article: Last Witness in Conrad Murray’s Defense Takes Stand Again Today
LOS ANGELES — Jurors hearing the involuntary manslaughter case against Michael Jackson’s doctor will hear an alternate version Friday of what may have occurred in the singer’s bedroom in the hours before his death. Dr. Paul White, an expert in the anesthetic propofol, will finally lay out his rationale for the defense theory that Jackson somehow gave himself a fatal dose of the drug when his doctor left the room. White’s testimony will likely be vigorously challenged by prosecutors, who spent four weeks laying out their case that Dr. Conrad Murray is a greedy, inept and reckless doctor who was giving Jackson propofol as a sleep aid. But cross-examination of White will be delayed until Monday to give prosecutors more time to review a new analysis prepared by the defense based on recently-conducted tests on samples taken during Jackson’s autopsy. “This is the entire crux of the defense case,” Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said in arguing for a delay. The judge hearing the case, which ends its fifth week on Friday, reluctantly agreed to delay the cross examination and said he is concerned about losing jurors. Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor however noted that the panel of has remained rapt throughout the trial. “Every single member of that jury and all the alternates are paying extraordinary attention to every witness,” Pastor said. Murray has pleaded not guilty. White’s opinions will challenge those of the prosecution’s main expert, Dr. Steven Shafer, who testified that the only scenario he believes explains Jackson’s death is that Murray placed Jackson on an IV drip and left the room after he thought the singer was sleeping peacefully. Murray told police he left Jackson’s bedside, but claims he only gave the singer a small dose of propofol the morning of Jackson’s death. He said he left the room and returned after two minutes to find the pop superstar unresponsive. Murray’s defense attorneys have repeatedly claimed that Jackson somehow gave himself the fatal dose, but it will be up to White to explain how that would be possible. Defense attorney J. Michael Flanagan said that the new models White will show jurors on Friday will offer different simulations about the drugs propofol and sedative lorazepam. They are based on a new computer program and updated test results. Flanagan did not reveal what conclusions White drew from the new models, or whether they would change his testimony. White is a retired researcher and professor who performed clinical studies of propofol for years before it was approved for usage by the Food and Drug Administration in 1989. He said he was initially reluctant to become involved in the case, but after reading through more than a dozen expert reports, he couldn’t figure out how others came to the conclusion that Murray would have had to leave Jackson on a propofol IV drip for the singer to have died with the anesthetic still coursing through his body. He said the others’ theories didn’t make sense based on Murray’s statement to police. “I thought that there were questions if in fact Murray had administered the drugs that he described in his conversations with the police department in the doses he described, I would not have expected Michael Jackson to have died,” White said. He continued to work on the case after meeting with Murray, although White was not allowed to testify about his conversations with the Houston-based cardiologist. Flanagan early in White’s testimony on Thursday asked the doctor to address “the elephant in the room” – whether he could justify Murray’s actions if he left Jackson hooked to a propofol IV and then left the room. “Absolutely not,” White replied. ___ AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch contributed to this report. ___ McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP The rest is here: Propofol Expert To Blame Jackson For Administering Lethal Dose
LOS ANGELES — Jurors hearing the involuntary manslaughter case against Michael Jackson’s doctor will hear an alternate version Friday of what may have occurred in the singer’s bedroom in the hours before his death. Dr. Paul White, an expert in the anesthetic propofol, will finally lay out his rationale for the defense theory that Jackson somehow gave himself a fatal dose of the drug when his doctor left the room. White’s testimony will likely be vigorously challenged by prosecutors, who spent four weeks laying out their case that Dr. Conrad Murray is a greedy, inept and reckless doctor who was giving Jackson propofol as a sleep aid. But cross-examination of White will be delayed until Monday to give prosecutors more time to review a new analysis prepared by the defense based on recently-conducted tests on samples taken during Jackson’s autopsy. “This is the entire crux of the defense case,” Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said in arguing for a delay. The judge hearing the case, which ends its fifth week on Friday, reluctantly agreed to delay the cross examination and said he is concerned about losing jurors. Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor however noted that the panel of has remained rapt throughout the trial. “Every single member of that jury and all the alternates are paying extraordinary attention to every witness,” Pastor said. Murray has pleaded not guilty. White’s opinions will challenge those of the prosecution’s main expert, Dr. Steven Shafer, who testified that the only scenario he believes explains Jackson’s death is that Murray placed Jackson on an IV drip and left the room after he thought the singer was sleeping peacefully. Murray told police he left Jackson’s bedside, but claims he only gave the singer a small dose of propofol the morning of Jackson’s death. He said he left the room and returned after two minutes to find the pop superstar unresponsive. Murray’s defense attorneys have repeatedly claimed that Jackson somehow gave himself the fatal dose, but it will be up to White to explain how that would be possible. Defense attorney J. Michael Flanagan said that the new models White will show jurors on Friday will offer different simulations about the drugs propofol and sedative lorazepam. They are based on a new computer program and updated test results. Flanagan did not reveal what conclusions White drew from the new models, or whether they would change his testimony. White is a retired researcher and professor who performed clinical studies of propofol for years before it was approved for usage by the Food and Drug Administration in 1989. He said he was initially reluctant to become involved in the case, but after reading through more than a dozen expert reports, he couldn’t figure out how others came to the conclusion that Murray would have had to leave Jackson on a propofol IV drip for the singer to have died with the anesthetic still coursing through his body. He said the others’ theories didn’t make sense based on Murray’s statement to police. “I thought that there were questions if in fact Murray had administered the drugs that he described in his conversations with the police department in the doses he described, I would not have expected Michael Jackson to have died,” White said. He continued to work on the case after meeting with Murray, although White was not allowed to testify about his conversations with the Houston-based cardiologist. Flanagan early in White’s testimony on Thursday asked the doctor to address “the elephant in the room” – whether he could justify Murray’s actions if he left Jackson hooked to a propofol IV and then left the room. “Absolutely not,” White replied. ___ AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch contributed to this report. ___ McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP The rest is here: Propofol Expert To Blame Jackson For Administering Lethal Dose